The Displaced Knight
by ExiledAdrian
Summary: AU Star Wars and RWBY. Artyr Sym, Jedi Padawan, is suddenly transported to Remnant after a mission gone wrong. In an unfamiliar world, he is forced to accept Ozpin's invitation to Beacon Academy, while learning more about the world he's in.However, he learns that he is tied to this world in more ways than one. M for some chapters Swearing/violence
1. Chapter 1: Briefing

The Displaced Knight

A/N: I do not own RWBY and Star Wars

Chapter 1

The briefing room currently, had seven people in it. A small child-sized green alien with wispy white hair and green skin with an aging look, a bald mocha-colored man with a stern and stoic expression, and a brown-haired, fair-cream-colored woman with long brown hair. The other four were men that looked almost identical with sun-tanned skin and short-cropped black hair of various designs. One had a mohawk, another was bald, another had a buzz cut, and another had his hair as a flat-top. The identical men wore heavy combat armor.

"Where is he?" The woman muttered, looking back at the open door.

"Permission to speak freely, General Windu?" The man with the mohawk said. The man identified as Windu looked at him.

"Permission granted,"

"Sir, I mean no disrespect to anyone..." The clone started to say.

"but is it true that Commander Sym isn't actually human? I heard a few stories from some of the others." He asked, his eyes asking for answers.

"What race Padawan Sym is is of no concern to anyone, trooper. You would do well to remember that." Windu replied firmly.

"Yes, sir. Of course, sir." The clone said. The bald clone slapped him on the back of the head.

"Never ask that again, idiot." He muttered to his brother.

"There will be no hitting anyone here, understood, Trooper Alyx?" Windu warned, glaring at the bald trooper.

"Yes, sir. I was merely correcting my brother's stupidity." Trooper Alyx said, straightening his back.

The green alien chuckled to himself.

Just then a shadow appeared on the ground. All eyes turned towards the doorway. A tall, broad-shouldered, bulky young man appeared in the doorway. Armor covered the top half of his tan tunic with his lightsaber also on his hip.

His pale blue eyes scanned the room as he walked in. The beginnings of a beard were starting to grow on his face with his brown hair cut short with a padawan's braid. He had a chiseled look like he was straight from a statue. Like the woman, he was also fair-cream skinned.

"Masters, sorry I'm late. I was resting in my quarters." The young man said, nodding his head respectfully.

"Overslept again?" The woman muttered angrily.

" Taking a much needed nap after the battle, hmm?" The alien said in his strange voice. The padawan blushed as he muttered something about how he needed to get a new alarm clock.

"It won't happen again, I promise. This is the last time," The man said as he walked in.

"Please take a seat, padawan." Master Windu said. The padawan smiled as he sat next to the troopers.

"You boys are Paladin squad, right?" He said, grinning. The clones looked at him in confusion.

"Your brothers in Delta, Alpha, and Nova squads all told me great things about you. You're one of the few squads intact after..." he paused.

"Never mind," He said, correcting himself.

"It's good to be working with you." The padawan added, nodding.

"I assume there will be no need for introductions," The woman said, looking at her padawan.

"No, ma'am." The apprentice said, grinning.

"Very well," She said, taking a seat next to him.

"So, what's the mission, Masters?" The padawan said, leaning back.

"Very well," Windu said, pressing a button.

"Paladin squad and you are heading to this world," Master Windu said as the image appeared. The world appeared over their heads.

They studied it. It was a giant ball of white with patches of gray on it.

"An ice world, just like Hoth or Ilium." Padawan Sym commented.

"What's the world's name?"

"Uncharted it is," The green alien said. The Jedi apprentice looked at the green alien.

"You're kidding, right? Uncharted?"

"It's on the edge of the Outer Rim, far from Hutt space. Republic Intelligence operatives discovered that the Separatists have an interest in this world. You'll be investigating it."

"Why not send in say a battalion or a regiment of troopers to claim the planet? What's the opposition like there?" Padawan Sym asked.

"Unknown enemy numbers are. Spread-thin, our forces currently are." The alien Jedi answered. The Padawan looked at the world.

"Do we know what the Separatists have on that planet?"

"A research base, located approximately here." Master Windu said, pressing a button. Immediately a circle appeared on a patch of gray near the planet's equator.

"Do we know what this planet's called?" The woman asked.

"The Separatists call it 'Athuron'," Windu replied.

Suddenly, the apprentice grunted as he put a hand on his temple.

Everyone looked at him in concern.

"Alright, are you?" The green Jedi asked. The padawan looked at him.

"I'm fine, Master Yoda." He then looked at Master Windu.

"We will get the proper gear, right? Last time I went to an ice world, they forgot to give us a few heating units for our tents." Sym said, crossing his arms.

"Rest assured, you will get the proper gear." Windu said. He then dipped his head as he spoke.

"If you will continue using your lightsaber instead of a blaster as you are a Jedi knight."

Sym grimaced as the woman looked at him.

"Yes, sir. Got it." Sym said nodding.

"A Jedi using a blaster?" Trooper Alyx muttered, scoffing.

"There will be no further insults from you, Trooper Alyx. Is that understood? Furthermore, if you continue this line of behavior you will be severely disciplined." Windu warned.

"Yes, General." Alyx said, nodding.

"When do you want us to leave?" Sym asked.

"As soon as you can," Yoda answered. Sym nodded.

"You are all dismissed. May the Force be with you," Windu said. The troopers stood up and saluted.

Padawan Sym then said something in an alien language to the troopers as they left. They looked at him in shock before exiting the room.

"What'd you say to them?" The woman asked.

"'See you all on the ship, brothers.'" Sym answered.

"You fraternize with the troops too much, padawan." Windu warned, flatly.

"With all due respect, sir. They're our soldiers. They fight and die for us daily. I would be happy to be loyal to them as they are to me." Sym said, defending his love for them.

"I know about the tattoos you have on your back. Those men that died did so not because of you." Windu said, pointing to him. Sym glared at him. d

"Whoever told you about the tattoos should have shut his damn trap," He growled.

"Artyr!" The woman warned. Sym took a deep fuming breath.

"Padawan, I mean no disrespect." Windu said.

"But repressing your guilt will do nothing good. I understand that you have sympathies for the men." Windu admitted.

"But _you_ should understand: you are an officer in the Republic Army and a Jedi Apprentice." He said, emphasizing 'you'.

"That means that you must act in a mature and responsible manner befitting those roles," Windu added.

"Yes, sir. I got the message." Sym muttered. Windu nudged his head to the door.

"He acts more like a soldier than a Jedi," He commented after the apprentice had gone out.

"He's changed since Geonosis," The woman said, crossing her arms as she looked out the door in worry.

"A lot of us changed after Geonosis," Windu said, remembering that fateful day.

Yoda gripped his cane.

"A sweet boy, he was. Before the war." He said, softly.

"Master Almira, I should not remind you that you must keep an eye on your padawan. We do not want a repeat of the incident that happened on Geonosis and elsewhere." Windu requested, turning to her.

"Of course, Master Windu." Almira nodded.

"One more thing, Master Almira." Yoda said, raising one finger. Master Almira looked at the old alien.

"Please talk to him about the visions he has," He requested.

Almira nodded before leaving.


	2. Chapter 2: Little Sister

Chapter 2

Artyr Sym walked through the temple towards the shuttle bay. He hefted his pack over his shoulder as he passed Jedi and clones in congress. He saw a few younglings running after each other playfully. He sighed, looking at the younglings as they ran past him. He shook his head at their innocence.

"They don't know," He said softly as he stopped. Years ago, he had been like them: carefree, innocent, eager to become Jedi. Now, he was older, wiser, experienced... and had a hell of a lot of guilt.

"Well, look who it is!" He heard a young girl's voice say as something crashed into him. He nearly staggered as he looked down to see a teenage Togruta hug him tightly.

"Hey, little sis. How are you?" He said, patting her head. She looked up at him with those eyes of her. Damn it, she was just too darn cute for the Jedi. Not that he liked her of course. Hell, he regarded everyone younger than him as his brother or sister.

"You don't have to pat my head," She said, frowning.

"I'm not a little kid, anymore." Ahsoka added.

"You're a padawan, now, sister. I expect you to behave for you-" He then looked at what she wore. She wore a dark red top with her midriff exposed. Her midriff... exposed. Oh for Force's sake!

He sighed.

"What?" She asked, crossing her arms.

In the distance, the sound of LAATs was heard overhead.

"Nothing," He said, shaking his head.

'Don't lecture her about it, Artyr. She's just... expressing her individualism.' He mentally told himself.

"It's what I'm wearing again, isn't it? I'm not acting like a wh-" She started to say before he shushed her. Some started to look their way as he ushered her to a corner.

"There are younglings right over there and you're surrounded by a whole bunch of Knights and clones! Do you really want to say that Force-forbidden word right here in front of everyone?!" He hissed.

He had been very concerned about her appearance like a father since she had been assigned to be Skywalker's apprentice. He had been close to her since she first came to the Temple when she was just a small kid. Since then, he considered her his little sister, always trying to protect her.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She said quietly and sarcastically as she raised her hands.

"I thought my 'big brother' who's completely 'unkillable' would give me some advice... other than my wardrobe!" She whispered.

"For the love of-" He grunted.

"I just don't want any men to get any ideas!" He told her.

"What ideas?! I can take care of myself!" She argued.

"You're still underage and a padawan to boot!" He argued back.

"Hey, what's going you two?" An older voice said. They looked up to see Ahsoka's master, Anakin Skywalker walk up. A scar covered his left eye under his short brown hair. His black tunic had armor like other knights. He had aged slightly since the Battle of Geonosis.

"Master Skywalker," Artyr said, shaking his hand in a formal hand.

He resisted the urge to punch him in the face after what happened on Geonosis.

"Something wrong?" He asked, crossing his arms. Artyr looked at the early-twenties man.

 _'I lost my master because of your mistake and my sister is dressed like someone she shouldn't be. How the kriff do you think I feel?'_ Artyr thought.

"No," He lied, shaking his head.

"Nothing at all," He lied further.

"He thinks I should change my wardrobe... again!" Ahsoka said, honestly.

Anakin raised an eyebrow as he looked from his padawan to the other padawan.

"Really?" Anakin asked, interested. Artyr sighed.

"Can we talk about this later?" Artyr said, trying to deflect the question.

"Yes, let's." Ahsoka said, firmly.

"So, what were you going to ask me, little sister?" Artyr asked, trying to pretend like nothing ever happened.

"Maybe I'll ask later, seeing as how you're going somewhere." She said, jerking her chin at his pack.

"Yeah, I'm going with commandos again." He explained, smiling. He shook his head as memories came back.

"Just like old times," He whispered before his face fell as he remembered a particular group of commandos. He remembered flying in behind enemy lines dressed in his armor, looking like a clone.

"Hey? You okay?" Ahsoka asked, snapping. His thoughts were brought back to reality in an instant.

"What?" He asked, then he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." He said.

"So, what's the mission or you won't say?" Anakin asked, smiling. Artyr wanted to scoff.

 _'He should know by now how things work, the reckless prick'._

"Yeah, I can't say. A long time from now, I'll talk about this over a few beers with you." Artyr said, looking at Skywalker.

"Sweet!" Ahsoka said, happily.

"Not you," Anakin and Artyr said simultaneously, angrily looking at her.

"Aw," She muttered, making a sad puppy face.

"Ah, shit!" Artyr said, realizing something.

"Language," The master-padawan team warned as Artyr produced something from his pocket.

"Give this to Kaleb Dume, will you? It's the money I owe him after a wager. Plus a little something extra." Artyr said, giving Ahsoka the gift. It was a bunch of Republic credits.

"Sure," Ahsoka said, nodding. She put it in a pouch.

"Don't spend it," Artyr warned. as he started to walk. He turned as he walked to the bay.

"Also: Tell him that I'll help him out with blaster practice after I'm back!" He called.

"Sure thing! Stay safe!" Ahsoka called, waving.

"Master Skywalker! Padawan Tano! How are you?" A woman's voice asked, happily.

"Master Almira," Skywalker greeted as they both turned to the approaching woman. They stood close together as they spoke.

"How's he been doing?" Anakin asked in a worried tone. Ahsoka leaned in to hear.

Ever since Geonosis, Artyr had changed. Everyone knew what happened on Geonosis and Athys. As for Orduron, the world where a Clone Commando unit that he fought alongside died, he wouldn't say what happened.

After the battle, the Council had sent Artyr to Kamino to get tested since he had started his series of... changes, for lack of a better term. Ahsoka remembered how some nights when he came back from war, he'd go off into the city for some reason. A reason she didn't discover until after they fought on Ryloth.

"Twenty-five new names added to his back when we got back," Almira said, seriously. Anakin sighed as he muttered a curse.

 _'He takes their losses so personally,'_ Anakin thought. He recalled how after he returned from Naboo at the beginning of the war, Artyr had accused him of being the cause of his first master's death. He damn near started a fist fight, nearly turning into that... thing that everyone saw back on Geonosis. He wanted to shudder as the memory came back as he saw the greatly changed Artyr literally bash someone's head into the ground as someone from an alcove swore vengeance against him. Then, in the great battle afterwards, he had turned into it again, taking his rage upon the battlefield, slaughtering droids where he could find them.

Those who had fought on Geonosis near the padawan had sworn to never talk about what he did to the Chancellor or the Senate or anyone else. This had to stay in-house.

"How many does that make it now?" The Jedi Knight asked.

"In the hundreds, possibly going into the thousands now." Almira answered. Ahsoka looked at her worried.

 _'His entire back must be covered in serial numbers. I can only imagine the pain he's feeling'._

"That many?" She asked, making a face.

 _'No wonder he's having nightmares,'_ she thought, remembering how she heard screaming from his room several times.

Almira nodded, sadly.

"He really needs to stop doing that. There are better ways to remember the dead than marking yourself with their names." Anakin said, crossing his arms as they looked at the shuttle bay.

 _'He still blames me for Master Bellophoron's death, even after the Council assigned me Ahsoka.'_ He thought. He wanted to sigh. He had hoped that with Ahsoka at his side, Artyr would release his grudge as she would tell her adopted brother what the team did together. But, he knew, deep inside that he still had it inside him, boiling.

"He's too hard on himself," Ahsoka stated.

"Yes, he is. He's probably going to be the point man for the mission again. And he'll be using a blaster," Almira noted.

"Nothing wrong with using a blaster," Anakin commented.

Quinlan Vos used blasters in his undercover work.

"Yes, well, he uses a blaster a lot more than he uses a lightsaber." Almira told him.

"He always did want to be close to the troops," Ahsoka commented. She wanted to smile and shake her head.

She found it funny and odd that a Jedi would choose to wear clone trooper armor and fire blasters in battle as opposed to going in as a Jedi.

"Please, keep an eye on him, Master Almira. He hasn't been the same since Geonosis." Ahsoka said.

Anakin gritted his teeth as if he wanted to say something but kept it to himself.

"Nobody's ever the same," Almira told her before saying 'good-bye'. As Almira walked away, Skywalker turned to his padawan as they walked.

"So... do you like him as a boyfriend?" He asked, teasing. He wanted to lighten the mood.

"Master!" Ahsoka barked, angrily. She slapped his arm and sighed angrily.


	3. Chapter 3: Reminiscing and Getting Ready

Chapter 3

(A/N: Okay, so I would like to encourage you all to please review this.)

When they arrived at the shipyards, he was greeted with the sight of so many ships docking and leaving for their destinations: countless merchant ships, naval vessels, passenger ships, and private yachts all coming and going. He smiled as he saw the countless white-armored clone troopers marching aboard, with AT-TEs marching with them along with smaller walkers.

"Go get 'em, boys," He whispered with pride.

He had fought alongside many brave troopers in this war. He fought from Geonosis to elsewhere. He had commanded whole regiments in the rare case and battalions as a common case. He had witnessed this war rage on airless moons, desert hell-holes, jungle paradises, icy wastelands and even a metropolitan world.

A sad thought occurred to him as he thought about the many deaths that would occur and had happened. The corpse-strewn battlefield of Geonosis came to mind.

"You're thinking about it again, aren't you?" Master Almira whispered next to him.

"So many of them fight for us and die," He said, softly.

"That is their duty, as is ours to the Republic." Almira reminded him.

"When this is over, I sincerely hope everyone remembers the dead. They deserve that much." He said, looking out as ships arose into the blue sky.

"When it's all over, yes." Almira admitted.

"Enough reminiscing about the dead, fight for the living." Almira said, patting his shoulder. The two Jedi then went towards the ship that would be taking them to their destination.

It was a small ship, the size of say a Naboo diplomatic vessel. However, it wasn't sleek and silver, but more bulky. The name of the ship was emblazoned on the hull: _Silence._

"I just had a sudden thought, Master." The padawan said as they boarded.

"Oh?" Almira asked, raising an eyebrow as they boarded.

"We could've used a cruiser with say a battalion's worth of troops for back-up if we had the resources." He said. He stopped as they walked towards the cockpit. Almira stopped and turned to see her padawan look around the ship and touch the bulkhead as he smiled.

Her expression became sad.

"So good to be home, right?" She asked. Artyr looked at her, smiling sadly.

"Yeah," He said, softly as he remembered something. He looked down the hallway as he remembered running down the ship when it was purchased bythe Order. He had been a ten year old kid back then, newly made an apprentice to Master Daren Bellophoron.

Master Bellophoron would shake his blue dinosaur-like head in disapproval, scolding him for his behavior. Tears started to well in his eyes as he remembered his first master.

 _'Padawan! How many times have I told you to stop running down the halls? You're an apprentice, not a little youngling anymore.'_ His bass voice spoke in his head.

 _'Now I'm sixteen, Master Bell.'_ He thought. He looked down.

 _'And I'm here without you,'_

"He would be proud of the man you've become," Almira told him. The padawan scoffed.

"He'd give me hell for using a blaster among other things," He said, smiling.

"Put your stuff away and help me get the ship ready for lift-off," Almira said.

"Right," Artyr said, going off towards his old quarters. He put his pack down and looked inside, grinning. A scarred gray clone commando helmet looked back at him with the appropriate body armor. He lifted up the helm as the memories came back.

 _The helmet was planted on his head._

 _"There ya' go, Commander! Now, you got a helmet!" A commando said, happily. Artyr looked inside the helmet, noticing the Heads-Up-Display. Icons appeared around him with text scrolling. He looked around, seeing the commando squad check their weapons in the locker room. The sounds of the intercom were heard in the air making announcements._

 _"Wow," He said in awe._

 _"Can I get some armor, too?" He asked the clone, looking up with the helmet._

 _"You're a bit small for some armor, aren't you, sir?" The clone said, crossing his arms. He was of the same height as his brothers. His hair was short-cropped with gray at the temples. He had wrinkles under his eyes._

 _"I can deal with it," Artyr said._

 _The clone made a 'hmm' sound._

 _"I'm not sure General Almira would approve," He said, frowning._

 _"I'm going to need some armor for this mission," Artyr told him._

 _"You have your lightsaber," The clone pointed out._

 _"What if I miss?" Artyr pointed out. The commando sighed._

 _"For pity's sake, Odin! I say we give him some armor! He's still going to bother us about it if we don't give it to him." Another clone said, checking his weapon. He had somewhat longer hair than his brother with his helmet having tatooed horns on the front for some odd reason._

 _"Loki, I really don't want to get us in trouble. I've done enough with the helmet," Odin told his brother, pointing at the padawan's helmet._

 _"Well, he wants the full set- give him the full set!" Another clone said, his helmet having wings on the side of his helmet._

 _"Baldur, don't you start this too." Odin warned._

 _"Just give him the damn armor, Ode! He'll bother us forever about it!" Another clone said, checking his weapon. His hair was a fohawk._

 _Odin grunted._

 _"Fine," He said, storming off to find some spare armor._

 _Artyr took off the helmet and had a guilty look._

 _"Don't worry about it, kid. He's not going to kill you over a suit of armor. Besides, you're the second-highest ranking officer on this mission." Baldur assured, walking over to him before putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. Artyr looked up at him and nodded._

 _"Now then, let's see how well you've improved your blaster skills." Baldur said, ushering him towards the direction of the firing range._

Artyr smiled softly.

"I miss you guys so much," He whispered softly. He then walked out of his quarters and went to the cockpit. Master Almira was in the pilot seat, doing the necessary checks. The padawan sat down in the co-pilot's chair. He touched the console lovingly.

"I assume you remember how to pilot this thing."

"Of course, I remember. Master Bell did teach me to fly things like this." He said.

"Everything check out, Master?" He asked.

"Yes," The Jedi Master nodded. He smiled. He turned on the intercom.

"Coruscant Traffic Control, this is the _Silence_. Requesting permission to lift off." He said, calmly. He waited for the reply.

 _"_ Silence, _Coruscant Traffic Control, you are cleared for lift off. May the Force be with you."_ A male voice answered.

"You too," Artyr answered.

He then changed the intercom to internal communications.

"All passengers, this is your co-pilot speaking. We are cleared for lift-off. Please remain seated and we'll have a pleasant flight." He announced smiling. He turned it off before there was any answer. His master looked at him.

"You are such a joker," She shook her head, grinning.

" Master, I could have been a lot of things if I wasn't a Jedi. But, hey. It's my lot in life." Artyr said, happily. Almira took the controls. The landing gear went back into its holdings as the ship lifted off the ground and then went off into the sky. Artyr felt the g-forces holding him back into his seat as they ascended through the atmosphere, the blue sky turning into a star-clad void.

Almira input the co-ordinates into the hyperdrive. The stars started to blur as the hyperdrive hummed. Artyr leaned back into his seat. He loved seeing the other-worldly blur of hyperspace.

"I was hoping that we could talk along the way," Master Almira said in a motherly manner. Artyr looked at his second master.

"What about?" He asked.

"I think we both know, my padawan." She said. Artyr sighed.

"You're too attached to your comrades. That's not good. That, and I know you still get the visions." She lectured. He looked at her with a frown.

"They fight and die for us. They deserve our loyalty to them."

"And they do have our loyalty. But you're too attached to them. You fraternize with them, call them your 'brothers'."

"'He who sheds his blood with me today shall be my brother eternal,'" Artyr quoted.

"And who said that?" Almira asked, crossing her arms. Artyr looked at the woman. She was no doubt beautiful, like many others here. Of course, beauty didn't always count. If anything, she was like the mother he never had.

"A famous ancient general from a long-time ago, I forget where it was said.

"Do you remember what happened on Athys?" She asked, tilting her head. Artyr's eyes became glossy.

 _The smell of bile and blood filled the air along with the odd chemical that had been produced by the canisters launched at them in the city streets. The men around him coughed violently, taking off their helmets. They puked bloody bile as their skin burned. He stood alone, unharmed, clad in his white armor as he watched helplessly as his subordinates died from a chemical attack. His calls for aid were the only thing on the battalion COM channel that was heard among the coughing and puking._

 _Other memories included him going through the fog, slaying every single droid he could find. He heard the droids that were semi-intelligent scream as he slaughtered them all like the soulless clankers that they were. Only, he wasn't human when he did so. He remembered going into the Separatist command center in the center of Athys City, slaughtering the organic Nikto mercenaries that served as the commander's guards. Their eyes full of fear as they saw the monstrous force-sensitive thing that wore clone trooper armor that barely fit his bulging form._

 _The Neimodian commander cowered under his desk as he looked up at him. The last thing he remembered before passing out was the Commander's brown eyes and pleas for mercy._

"Your slaughter of so many didn't go unnoticed by anyone, even the Supreme Chancellor and the Senate heard about it." Almira told him

"They didn't deserve to die that way," He said, reminder her of the clones that died.

"The Separatist Commander went insane and had to be put into a psychiatric institution after what he saw you do in your other form," She reminded him. He looked down at his hands, imagining them as bigger, thick-skinned, and powerful. He looked at her.

"Bastard was a coward like the others. Civilians died during the chemical attack. I did y'all a favor, making him piss his pants." He told her angrily as his voice rose.

"That's not the Jedi way. You damn near went to the dark side." She said, pointing at him.

"I didn't murder him," He reminded her.

"But you nearly did," She retorted.

"You need to let them go, Artyr." She said, going to him. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"A lot of people care about your well-being," She said in a mother's tone. He looked at her.

"Master Bellophoron asked me the day he took you as his padawan that if he were to fall, I should take over as your master." She told him. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Did you know that? He asked _me_ , when the Council could have given you over to anyone else." She said, shaking her head of brown hair. He opened his mouth to speak.

"You think you're the only one that misses him? You think that you're the only one who cares about others?" She asked, her eyes showing fire as she glared at her padawan.

"Jedi care about others, but we have to be stoic about it. We can't afford personal attachments. Things like that can turn you into a Sith, padawan." She huffed.

"And everyone, believe me, _everyone_ would hate to see you become that." She lectured him. He sighed as he looked away from her gaze. He rubbed his face. There was silence for a few seconds as she looked at him.

"We're going to arrive at Arthuron shortly," She said, looking at the instruments.

"I'm going to go get ready," Artyr said, standing up.

"You're going to wear that armor again, aren't you?" She asked as he walked out of the cockpit. He stopped.

"Odin gave me that armor," He told her, looking at her out of the corner of his left eye. She looked at him at first in question and then she remembered.

"Hunter squad," She said, sighing as he walked out.

He went to his quarters and then put on the armor, remembering how it worked. The Jedi tunic was visible under the armor. Usually it was a bodysuit that went under it, but he felt that there were exceptions. He took out a DC-17m blaster rifle with a laser sight and a grenade launcher. He also took out a DC-15s. He checked it, satisfied that it was at full power. He made sure that his belt had pouches for at least ten energy clips for the DC-17m, a med-kit, a combat knife, as well as EMP and thermal detonators. He smiled as he sheathed the knife into his thigh's holster.

He smiled under his helmet as he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked like a hybrid Jedi-Clone. He then walked towards the cargo bay to see Paladin squad finally putting their own armor on. All of them looked up at him.

"Whoa," One of them said in awe. His armor was a dark blue with crossed warhammers on the side of his helmet. Artyr's HUD identified him as RC-0440 'Samson'.

"Is that... you, Commander?" Another asked, wielding a DC-17m with a longer barrel and a sniper scope. He was identified as 'RC-0548 'Longshot'.

"Who gave you _that_?" Alyx asked, looking at him.

"Your brothers in Hunter squad. Told them I needed it," Artyr said. The clones looked at eachother and back at the padawan.

"You were with them when it happened, weren't you, sir?" The last clone in the squad said. RC-0023 'Tyr'.

"That I was. They fought honorably," Artyr said, nodding.

Tyr looked at him, noticing the painted pierced battle droid head on the Jedi's pauldrons. Then, they started to gesture with their heads. Most likely, intra-squad COM channel.

"We're almost there, by the way." He told them.

He then felt the ship lurch under his feet.

They were out of hyperspace. The _Silence_ 's intercom crackled and Master Almira's voice spoke.

"We just exited hyperspace, heading to the planet's surface now. I'm landing us a bit of a distance from the Separatist base. It'll be a hike," Artyr nodded.

"Paladin squad, get ready for landing." The padawan ordered as the Silence headed towards Arthuron's surface.


	4. Chapter 4: The Way There

Chapter 4

 _(A/N: I apologize if I'm screwing anything up. I haven't written fanfiction for awhile. Usually, I write original stuff. I still do, actually. However, I just couldn't get these kinds of stories out of my head. Also. Spoilers: Y'see, It's AU Star Wars. In this universe: Mace Windu didn't kill Jango Fett, someone else did.)_

In the minutes before landing, he always felt nervous. Not scared, just nervous. He gripped his rifle tightly as he felt the small ship land on the surface. The cargo bay door opened and the five armor-clad men sped out of the ship, weapons raised.

"Form a perimeter," Artyr ordered, calmly as they got out and formed a perimeter around the ship. They scanned the area as they looked out across the frozen wasteland. In the distance, you could see mountains rising above the earth, going high into the sky.

They looked around for battle droids.

"Sector 1, clear." Alyx reported.

"Sector 2, clear." Longshot reported.

"Sector 3, clear." Samson announced.

"Sector 4, clear." Tyr said.

"Sector 5, clear." Artyr said.

"Master, landing zone's clear. No sign of clankers anywhere." Artyr reported on the COM channel.

"I'm coming out, now." Master Almira told him.

"Roger," He said.

He sighed as he looked up at the sky. It was cloudy with patches of blue. He could feel the crisp cold through the armor. Thankfully, they arrived on the daytime side of the planet, so it should have been much warmer.

The planet reminded him of Othur and Ilium. Ilium was a world where the Jedi got their khyber crystals for their sabers. Othur had been a battleground. He recalled how there had been, of all things, wampas on that planet. He had to scoff. Just who in the their right mind, would want to import wampas, kriffing wampas, from Hoth... to Othur? I mean, they had been at the least, a major pain, but at the maximum, they had been a major menace to both Republic and Separatist soldiers.

He grunted as he felt a pain in his head.

 _A mostly white shattered moon hung in a night sky. A pair of torturous red eyes with black 'whites' looked at him angrily. He heard screams of pain and death as a city burned. He saw monsters that were entirely black with red eyes and white armor over their faces._

 _A large chamber came to mind, filled with statues of monstrous aliens fighting what appeared to be other monsters. The former aliens held what appeared to be light sabers as they battled their foes. In the back of the chamber was what appeared to be some kind of metal ring with something in the middle of it, floating. It looked like some kind of crystal or something._

"Sir?" He heard someone say to him. He opened his eyes as he looked up. Tyr stood right next to him.

"Sir, are you alright?" Tyr asked, worried.

"I'm fine, Sargent." The padawan told him.

"Are you sure, sir?" Tyr asked.

The Jedi nodded. He turned as he heard the sound of footsteps on metal. Master Almira walked out of the ship, dressed in a white, fur-lined coat, white gloves, a hat that covered her ears with snow goggles over the cap, white pants and boots. Her lightsaber hung at her hip.

She looked at him and then at Tyr.

"Sargent, have your men move forward." She ordered.

"Yes, General." Tyr said, nodding. The squad started to move. He was about to when she stopped him.

"Artyr, I sensed something happen. Are you alright?" She asked, walking up to him. She looked at him worried.

"Yes, ma'am. Nothing serious. Just had a bout of fear was all." Artyr lied.

"Don't lie to me, Artyr. You had another one, didn't you?" She asked. He looked away from her gaze.

"What did you see, padawan?" She asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine," He said.

"You've had them since you were a child," She started to say.

"I said I'm fine, Master." Artyr snapped, looking at her.

"There's nothing to be worried about," He lied.

 _'Nothing to be worried about for you, master.'_ He thought. They walked forward, catching up to Paladin squad.

"So, Tyr." Artyr asked, going on a private COM channel to Tyr.

"Where did you, Odin, Baldur, Loki, and Thor get your names?" He asked, walking next to the squad leader.

Tyr chuckled.

"We got them from our instructor, Byro Oros." He explained. He looked like he was remembering something.

"I don't think any of those names are Mandalorian," Artyr said, thinking.

"They're obviously not. There were more of us, actually with those kinds of names: Freyr, Ymir, Fenrir, Sleipnir, Grimnir, Fir, on and on." He said, gesturing.

"He never did tell us where he got those names, where they came from, or why he named us them." Tyr said.

"Odin said he disappeared shortly after Geonosis," Artyr remarked.

"Ah, so Odin _did_ tell you about him." Tyr remarked, looking at the padawan.

"I tried to find out what happened to him if it was within my power... of course, no one I asked knew anything about what happened to him." Artyr said.

"Believe me, we tried too. Intelligence couldn't help us, so we uh..." he looked at Almira as he paused.

"Promise me you won't tell the general?" He asked.

"I swear on my honor," Artyr said, nodding.

"We actually tried asking questions to the shady kind of people. Not even they knew," Tyr explained.

"Well, shit. I would've loved to meet the guy who trained Hunter."

"He was an absolute bastard, but we loved him." Tyr said.

"Didn't he once decide it would be a great idea for you guys to legit go monster hunting in Kamino's oceans?" Artyr asked.

"Oh for kriff's sake, I never want to be reminded of that again." Tyr said, shaking his head. Artyr grinned as he recalled Hunter squad talking about all the crazy shenanigans that happened with their instructor.

"Hey, was Oros Mandalorian?"

"Maybe. He spoke Mandalorian... but I don't think he was." Tyr said as they walked.

"He didn't get along with Vau, Skirata... everyone else. Hell, not even Jango liked him, I think." Tyr reminisced. Artyr was silent when he heard the clones' genetic father be talked about. Jango Fett, one of the most dangerous bounty hunters, father of the clones, a Mandalorian... and a Separatist in the employ of Count Dooku.

Artyr gritted his teeth.

 _The sounds of battle roared around him as he cradled the body of his master. Bellophoron looked up at the sky with glassy eyes and an open mouth. Artyr cried as he held the alien male. Blaster marks were on his clothes and the man's head. High above them was Dooku's private box._

 _Blaster fire, sonic blasts, screams and lightsaber slashes were heard. The thirteen year-old looked down at his dead master, the man who had been a father to him._

 _He felt other Jedi fall in the force. He then heard something directly behind him._

 _He heard a blaster pistol click._

 _"I'm sorry, kid. It's nothing personal." He heard the bounty hunter's voice say through his helmet._

 _Artyr fumed. He felt something change inside of him, something hot. He growled, turning from human to something inhuman. He heard the blaster fire and felt something hit him in the back of the head. His body jerked forward. He slowly got back up and glared at the armored man as he felt his body change._

 _"It was personal to me, you son of a_ bitch _." He growled, his voice now deeper than a human's. Jango stepped back as he aimed both pistols. He started firing again and again as the padawan rose, now rising taller than his old form. He was now the height of a man. He didn't activate his lightsaber as he charged at the bounty hunter._

 _"I'll kill you!" He roared in his inhuman voice. He got on top, feeling the rounds hit him in his stomach. He didn't care, he wanted this scumbag dead to rights! He roared in Fett's visor and put both hands on the man's helmet, crushing it. He felt something hot and burning under him and he stepped back, seeing his tunic on fire._

 _"YOU BASTARD!" He roared as he pounded the bounty hunter into the ground, hearing the man's armor and bones break under his fists. He saw the helmet crack under the blows and then ripped it off, showing the Mandalorian warrior look up at him. His nose was now bloody._

 _"What... the hell... are you?" Jango asked, weakly. Artyr merely bashed the man's head into the ground, making the back of his head into a bloody mess. Artyr breathed heavily as he stood over his master's murderer._

 _"Dad!" He heard a kid scream. He looked up to see someone looking down from an alcove. Hiding in its shadows was a kid who looked a lot like Jango Fett. His hair was longer. Artyr looked at him in shock and then looked down at the bounty hunter he had just killed. His body shrunk back to its original human form, his clothes now torn and burning._

 _"I'll kill you, Jedi! You hear me?! I'll kill you for this!" The boy shouted, pointing at him. Artyr looked back up at the kid._

 _"You wish," He coldly said under his breath. He shifted his gaze to see Count Dooku look at him in shock._

 _"I'll get you someday for this, old man." He threatened, pointing at him. He felt disturbances in the Force at that moment: fear, despair, horror, sadness, and even death._

He sighed as he shook his head. So much had happened since that day.

"What?" Tyr asked him.

"Nothing, nothing." Artyr lied.

After a few hours, they arrived at the objective. The mountain the base was built into was massive. Artyr took out his binoculars and looked at the base. There were guard posts built into the mountain, along with a massive sealed gate. Droids guarded the outside with barriers. There was a landing pad near the mountain's summit.

"We _are_ sure this is a research base, right?" He asked, taking the binoculars off and looking at his comrades.

"That's what the intel said," Tyr affirmed. He looked at it.

"Master, what's the plan?" He asked, handing her the binoculars. She looked at it and then produced a holoprojector, showing the details of the base.

"The intel we were given shows that there are only two ways in: the landing pad up there," She said, pointing at the pad.

"And that gate,"

"There's no secret entrance in?" Artyr asked. He grimaced and swore as he realized something.

"I should've asked that at the briefing! Damn it!" He hit his head, the metal making a 'clang'.

"Why can't I ever think of this shit at the time?!" He said woefully, clutching his head. The clones looked at their master who grimaced.

"Padawan, it's not your fault. We're making a plan, now." She said.

"What about the guardposts?" Alyx suggested.

"We're still going to have to deal with those clankers... what do they have guarding the front?" Tyr asked, grabbing the binoculars. He was silent for about a full minute.

"Droidekas... kriffing droidekas... and super battle droids..." He said, flatly. He put it down and looked at her.

"Well, we can't just walk right up to the Force-damned door, guns blazing."

The Jedi looked at eachother, an idea forming.

"Alright, I've got EMP grenades, and both of us can use the force. About four should do the trick." Artyr said, taking out his EMP grenades.

"Then, we go up a guard post." Almira added.

"Plus, if we go through the front gate..." Longshot said, thinking as he rubbed his chin. He winced.

"Yeah, that would be a huge kriffing problem if it turns out there's a shit ton of droids right inside."

"Alright!" Artyr said, clapping his hands.

"Let's do it!"

XXX

If D-492909839 had been organic, he would be complaining about the cold. Of course, droids couldn't feel cold. They couldn't feel pain. They could think somewhat like organics, but that was about it. They couldn't love, of course. He and the five other Super Battle Droids and four droidekas stood out on guard duty for Republic forces. Not that anyone would even want to be here.

Of course, if it had been a regular battle droid, it would be wondering just what the kriff they were doing way out here in the Force-damn Outer Rim. Nobody knew how important this place was, yet it had heard that Count Dooku had an interest here for some reason. In fact, the Confederate Head of State was coming in sometime today. Provided nothing else got his attention.

It then noticed something flying through the air. It looked up, its head built into its chest. Three small balls flew threw the air. It shifted its weight curiously.

It scanned the objects just as they came close to him. The balls looked like thermal detonators, only a bit different in color.

It then realized what they were.

"Grenades!" It announced in a mechanic voice as it raised its arms to fire. The balls fell among the droids. He was about to fire on them when there was a pulse of light. It felt its systems shutting down. The last thing it saw was the ground rushing to meet it as it fell.


	5. Chapter 5: Not According To Plan

Chapter 5

 **A/N: Di'kut is Mandalorian for 'Idiot' or 'Moron'... I forget.**

The six-man team ran up to the nearest guard post. Artyr grinned as he looked at the droids that had collapsed. Out like a light.

He got out his grappling gun and aimed at the windows. He fired as the others did. He heard the metal collide with the stone. As one they climbed up the walls. When they reached the window, they peered in.

There were a few regular battle droids manning the consoles. He raised his hand and looked at them right as one of them looked up.

"Hey! There's a clo-" The droid started to say in its noisy, whiny mechanical tone right before he made a ball. The droids as one all crumpled into metal balls and fell. He then force pushed the window in and got into the base. He looked at the security monitors as the others got in. He looked through them.

"Okay, let's see what we've got here," He said, licking his lips as he looked at the cameras. The inside of the base had several levels and areas inside. The cameras showed a nightmare to him.

"Kriff, we're definitely going to have to clear the whole damn base," He muttered. The base was built into the mountain, going from near the peak, all the way to below the ground... at least a level below the ground.

The cameras were set up different areas. There was the landing bay up top, the droid maintenance bay inside the mountain, which had a crap ton of droids that were undergoing repairs, there was a droid recharge bay, a barracks for the alien Confederate reserarchers, who were not present at the moment, the base commander's quarters, staff quarters, and...

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" He asked, interested.

"You see something you like, sir?" Tyr asked, coming over to him.

"Yeah," He said, looking at the images. The cameras that were below ground had been labeled as 'Ruin'... one camera in particular was set in a very large chamber with- He looked closely at the image.

"No kriffing way..." He whispered.

"Sir? Something wrong?" Tyr asked, leaning close to him.

"Nah, Sarge. Nothing's wrong," He said, looking at the statue-lined chamber as he waved the commando away. The figures inside were massive, strangely familiar as well. There were a few researchers in there studying it with interest. All of a sudden, the monitor glitched and he swore he saw ghostly, hooded figures among the researchers. He jerked his head back as the ghostly figures all looked up at him. He could only see their mouths as they spoke. Their eyes were shadowed.

He heard a voice as he looked at the screen.

 _"Come here,"_ He heard the voice whisper. He didn't look around to find the voices as he stared. He felt his heart beat rapidly in his chest. Others were heard as well, all of them urging him to come down there. He blinked as he shook his head, taking a step back.

He breathed hard as he looked at the monitor.

Then, he felt a hand grip his shoulder. He turned to see Tyr grabbing his shoulder.

"Commander? Are you alright, sir? Do you need to go back to the ship?" He asked. Almira looked at him as did the others.

"No," He said, shaking his head.

"I'm fine," He said.

Tyr looked at the monitors.

"Think we found what the Separatists are interested in," Tyr said, gesturing for Almira to come over and look.

"Amazing," She whispered, seeing what was inside. She then looked at Artyr, her eyes questioning.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing," She said.

"So, how do we clear this place out?" Tyr asked Almira.

"We'll have to piece-meal it, split up, maybe." Almira said.

"No," Artyr said, flatly. She looked at him.

"We'll cover more ground that way,"

"I said 'no', Master. I disapprove of this." He said, shaking his head.

"You're not in command, I am." Almira reminded her padawan.

"She's right, Commander. We're splitting up." Tyr said, going with Almira. Artyr looked at Tyr.

"Fine," He consented reluctantly.

"But, I'm going to do the bottom levels." He told his master. Tyr turned to his squad.

"Alyx, Samson, you're with the Commander, clear out the lower levels. Longshot, you're with me and General Almira. We'll be taking out the other areas. Move out!" Tyr ordered. Alyx, Artyr, and Samson led the way out of the guard-post checking the hallway. Artyr heard Almira speak on the squad COM channel.

"Alright, I've disabled the cameras and the alarm, plus I uploaded the base schematics to my holoprojectors and your HUDs." She said as Artyr noticed his HUD notifying them.

Artyr and Samson aimed down the left hallway while Alyx aimed at the right. Nothing came down. They went down as Artyr checked his uploaded map.

Then, they went down the hallway to find the main entranceway into the base. They crouched as they peered into the upper level of the entrance. Two battle droids each were on opposite sides of the catwalk. Alyx and Artyr both turned simulataneously to deal with the clankers.

The padawan aimed and fired four bursts from his rifle, hitting the battle droids in the head and chest, downing them. He heard the other two fall. Then, the three commandos peered down the catwalk.

"Kriff, they even had droidekas on the inside too!" Artyr whispered, shaking his head.

"Ah, well." He said, sighing. He then raised a hand and made a ball with his fist, concentrating on the two droidekas. They both crumpled into balls. The battle droids that were below looked up.

"Clones!" One of them announced, pointing at them.

"Snitch!" Artyr roared back as he fired at said droid. The three-man team fired down at the droids, obliterating them.

"This is just too easy," Alyx said, happily. Artyr looked at him, his faceplate hiding his anger.

Artyr smacked the clone commando on the back of the head. Said commando looked up at him in question.

" _Di'kut_! You jinxed us all now!" Artyr said angrily.

"I was just commenting on-" Alyx started to say. Artyr pointed at him as he lectured.

"If there's anything that Hunter squad ever taught me, it's that" He started to change his voice into something sounding like a clone.

"'you don't jinx the mission by saying shit like that.'"

"And who said that?" Alyx asked, sarcastically.

"An old clone by the name of Odin," Artyr answered matter-of-fact.

"Oh," Alyx realized.

The three then continued going through the catwalk.

"Alright, which should we hit first?" Samson asked. Artyr looked up in thought.

"Recharge bay or the maintenance bay," he thought aloud.

"You're the Commander, which do you want to do?" Samson asked.

"Kriff it, let's do the maintenance bay" Artyr said. He then looked at his belt.

"Too bad I wasted my EMP grenades on the droids out front," He muttered shaking his head.

They then made their way to the maintenance bay. Artyr looked at the inside of the mountain as they made their way, noting how the mountain must have been gutted in perhaps a few months. Pipes lined the way along with signs.

The three stacked up on either side of the door to the maintenance bay. Artyr opened the door with a gesture and peered in. He blinked.

"You've got to be shitting me," He muttered at the sheer absurdity of it all. There were droidekas and super battle droids all getting repaired by automatic mechanical arms and maintenance droids. There was no one organic in there. The padawan shook his head.

"Seppies and their droids," He muttered, turning to the two commandos. He nodded.

The three started blasting away into the room, turning it into a charnel house of mechanical slaughter. Droids became swiss-cheesed and the walls had many bullet holes. The mechanical arms fell from their blasted hinges as they fired. None of the droids fired back as they were all hit. The droidekas were under repair and thus their shields were off.

They ceased fire as the smoke from their weapon rose.

"Think the droid historians will call this 'The Maintenance Bay Massacre of Arthuron'?" Alyx asked, jokingly as they reloaded. The other two of the team chuckled.

"How about the 'Arthuron Massacre'?" Artyr asked as they started going towards the recharge bay next. They stopped at an intersection. The three split to look in either direction.

"Kriff!" The Jedi muttered as he saw a squad of battle droids running down the hall.

He opened fire with his rifle, downing the whole squad as his comrades turned to face them.

"Nice work, sir." Samson said. Alyx scoffed.

"I could do better," He muttered.

Just then, the base intercom blared.

 _"Attention all personnel: There are clones in the base! I want all droids to find and eliminate these intruders! Kill them all before Count Dooku arrives."_ An alien voice blared. He looked up at the speaker. The three looked at eachother, with an 'oh shit' look hidden by their faceplates.

"Master, did you hear that?!" He said, going onto the team COM channel.

 _"We sure did,"_ Master Almira said, dead-pan.

 _"Where are you now?"_ She asked, worried.

"Heading to the recharge bay,"

 _"We heard a ton of blaster fire downstairs. Was that you?"_ She asked.

Artur grinned.

"It was a massacre," He joked.

 _"Padawan, that's not very reassuring."_ Master Almira said, still worried.

"They're only droids, master!" The padawan retorted happily. He then realized why she was worried. He stopped and sighed as he clutched his helmet. She thought that he was turning to the dark side.

"There were only droids in the bay. There weren't any organics." He said, calmly.

 _"We're heading up to the base commander's quarters as soon as we clear the landing bay."_ She said.

"Right, master. Also: how do we solve the Dooku problem?" He asked.

 _"We'll deal with him when he arrives,"_ His master said.

"Right,"

 _"Padawan, another thing:"_ She said.

"What?" He asked. There was silence at first.

 _"Please, be careful, Padawan. I don't want to lose you."_

"Master, I thought Jedi weren't supposed to have personal attachments?" He asked, grinning.

 _"Not when it comes to Jedi and their apprentices,"_ Almira replied. He could hear her smiling.

 _'She's like the mother I never had,'_ He thought. It wasn't the first time that thought appeared.

Like so many other Jedi, he had been taken as a baby by the Order. The Order's understanding was that Force-sensitive children weren't safe on their own. Certain governments and organizations could use the children for their own ends. Now, of course, there were other force-sensitive organizations such as the Kel-Dor sages of Master Plo Koon's homeworld. But the Order was the best chance for any force-sensitive individual to develop their powers and to serve the galaxy as its protectors, rather than be the conquering barbaric tyrants like the Sith.

 _"I'll see you in the lower levels. Again, please be careful."_ she said, worried.

"Yes, master. Sym, out." Artyr said. He suddenly got the feeling that this may be his last day of living. He didn't know why.

As soon as they reached the recharge bay, the bay doors opened and battle droids came pouring out. The three took cover as red bolts fired over their heads.

"Can't get a shot in!" Samson said as they took cover in the halls.

"Commander! Think you can do something?" Alyx asked over the blaster fire. Artur grinned as he had his palm lean out and ushered it forward. He heard a loud series of clangs and thuds as the droids all fell backwards from the force push.

The three then got out of cover and shot the droids on the ground before they could get up. They walked into the recharge bay. Again, nothing but maintenance droids that cowered from them along with recharge modules.

"You'd think there'd be organic engineers here," Artyr said, wondering.

"Why do you think Dooku's coming here of all places? Shouldn't he be back in Separatist space leading the Seps?" Alyx asked as they checked the recharge bay, looking at every corner. Nothing dangerous was left.

"I've heard how he likes to take personal interest in certain projects and military operations." Artyr explained.

"My kid sister says that on one of her first missions, her master fought Dooku on Tatooine. I also heard that he fought Master Kenobi and Skywalker on Raxus Prime along with some other places." He added. They looked at him.

"You've got a sister?" Alyx asked in disbelief.

"Kind of," he shrugged as he answered.

"I've been looking out for her since we were kids." He paused and then corrected himself.

"Well, that and other kids younger than me."

"Hey, how do you deal with boyfriends?" Alyx asked as they walked out.

The Jedi looked at Alyx.

"Jedi don't date, last I checked." Artyr flatly told him.

"What about those rumors I heard about Generals Fisto and Securra?" Alyx asked. Artur blinked and then shivered as he recalled a particular haunting memory involving those two.

"Don't ever mention that again," The padawan said, woefully.

"It's true?!" Samson said in disbelief.

 _"I said don't mention it again!"_ The commander shouted angrily. The clones looked at eachother and back at him.

"Right, sorry, sir. It's not our place to talk gossip." Samson said, raising a hand in apology.

"Standing order from me: if someone's talking gossip about anyone else... don't get involved. Just keep your mouth shut and your head low." Artyr ordered.

"Yes, sir." The commandos said.

Artyr checked the map that he had on his HUD.

"Well, according to the schematics," He said, squinting.

"Only way to the lower levels is this ramp," He said. He looked at the representation of the lower level.

 _"Come here,"_ A voice said. He turned around.

"You hear that?" He asked aloud as he looked. There was no one behind him save Alyx and Samson.

"Hear what, sir?" Samson asked.

"Nothing, never mind."

"You're not going haywire on us, are you, sir?" Alyx asked.

"No, no, I'm fine." Artyr said.

"Sir-"

"I'm fine, trooper. Artyr repeated to Alyx.

They went towards the direction of the entrance to the lower levels. A massive sealed door stood in front of them.

"Think you can use your saber for this, sir?" Samson asked.

"Do you need to ask?" The padawan retorted, bringing out his saber. He pressed the activation plate, summoning a green blade that rose six feet into the air. He jammed the blade into the door, the heat of the blade melting the metal instantaneously. He formed a large hole and pushed the piece that he cut through.

A dark foreboding ramp went before them, going further into the mountain's stony roots. The three activated their search-lights.

"I'm taking point," He told them. He then went onto the team channel.

"Master, we've reached the lowest level. We're going down now and may be out of contact for sometime. We'll secure it and wait for you there." He announced. Just then static interrupted the channel, causing the three men to shirk and shudder at the ungodly noise.  
"What the hell?! Are we being jammed?!" Alyx asked.

"Master, are you there?" He asked. Static followed.

"Master?" he asked again. Static followed.

"You two: new orders: Get back up to Master Almira and see if her team's alright. I'll secure the bottom level myself." The padawan ordered.

"Are you sure, sir?" Samson asked, unsure as he tilted his head.

"I am. That's an order, trooper. Now, get going." He then shrugged.

"Besides, if Dooku does get here: you'll need a Jedi Knight, not a Padawan to deal with him." He said, with gallows humor. They looked at him with concern.

"Sir... is something wrong? You've been acting funny all mission." Samson asked, worried.

"I'm okay, trooper. I'm green." Artyr said, feigning cheer.

"Seriously, get the kriff up there and find out if my master's okay. Also , I want you to tell her that if anything, and I mean anything goes wrong:" Artyr said, stepping forward, going up to his two subordinates.

 _"You get the hell out of here without me,"_ He ordered, his voice becoming solemn.

The two troopers hesitated before nodding.

"Yes, Commander." They said, nodding. They turned to leave. Artyr turned to get back into the corridor.

"Sir," He heard Alyx call out. He spun.

"Be careful, sir. May the Force be with you,"

"And you, brother." Artyr said, nodding. He gestured for him to get going. He watched as the two troopers leave, aware that this may be the last time he'd see them.

He thought about it. Perhaps, this was the last day of his life. Maybe, he'd finally join those that served him in the Force. He took a deep breath as he sighed.

"I am one with the Force, the Force is with me." He started to say as he walked down the ramp. Nothing lit the cavern as he crept down the ramp. He didn't activate his helmet's lights, wanting the element of surprise.

He then closed his eyes as he walked, trying to sense what was up ahead with the Force.

He sensed... people up ahead. Innocent, curious, alien... He frowned as he sensed something else. There was great power up ahead, terribly great power. And then, he sensed something or someone else. Something old and ancient... something waiting for him.

 _"Come here,"_ He heard the voices say.

"I'm coming," He said, solemnly as he walked towards his possible doom.

After about five minutes of walking down, he saw a well-lite chamber up ahead... or what was supposed to be well-lit. He crouched as he he hid behind some crates, right near the entrance. He peered over them to see what was inside.

He looked in awe at the massive statues that stood in the gigantic chamber that rivaled a ball room. Each statue showed an alien warrior of one particular race facing an opponent that wasn't of its own race. Each warrior that struck what appeared to be various killing blows were armed with lightsabers or so it appeared.

He rubbed his helmet's chin. He didn't recall any Jedi that looked like that... save one. Not only that, but the aliens looked fierce and powerful with bulging muscles and horned heads, their eyes glaring at their defeated foe with undying hatred, their mouths forever in a roar.

There were various scientific instruments and scanners lying around on the floor along with crates. What lay ahead of them was the metal ring that appeared to have something inside it, floating harmlessly. He stood up.

 _"Come here,"_ The voices said.

He slowly walked forward. He then remembered that there had been researchers here... where were they? He stepped out into the chamber.

"I'm here, like you wanted me to." He said, aloud as he looked around.

"Show yourselves!" He barked as he walked towards the center of the chamber. He felt something stir in the Force. He readied himself for a fight, aiming around.

"Show yourselves!" He roared again.

And then, they materialized from thin air.

Translucent robed and hooded figures surrounded him in a circle. You'd think that they were holograms. He looked around himself as he aimed his weapon, his heart beating fast.

 _'I am one with the Force, the Force is with me'_ He kept thinking.

He then noticed what these apparent 'ghosts' wore... they wore Jedi robes. He lowered his weapon. There was no kriffing way that was possible... Jedi ghosts? He had heard a few stories about this sort of thing, but such an idea of having your individuality not be put back into the Force after death... unbelieveable.

They looked at him with shadowed faces.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"What do you want with me?!" He roared. Then, a section of the ghosts parted towards the ring. He looked at the ring.

"You want me to go there," He stated more than asked. The figures nodded. He then looked from the 'ghosts' to the ring. He slowly walked over to it. He saw that there was some kind of crystal in the center, a yellowish-red crystal that hung in the center of the ring.

"Huh," He looked at the ghosts.

"Want me to take it or leave it?" He asked.

 _"Touch... it,"_ He heard them say. He looked at the crystal and inspected it. He felt power within the crystal. He licked his lips.

"Better not be something I'm going to regret," He said, reaching for it. He grabbed it with one hand while the other held his blaster.

The crystal felt warm to the touch. He tried to take it out of the ring, only to find it wouldn't budge.

"Ah, shit!" He cried out. Then, it started glowing and he felt it become hot. He tried to take his hand back only for the crystal to grow brighter as his hand wouldn't let go. He tried to free it, only to fight that the crystal had started humming with power.

"Krifffkriffkriffkriffkriffkriffkriff," He said, quickly as the crystal suddenly exploded into something, while his hand didn't go off with it. The light enveloped him and he felt it pull him into it. He tried to free himself and turned towards the ramp, reaching out for it. The figures were gone. He felt his heart beat as he was pulled into the light of the ring.

The last thing he saw of Arthuron was the empty chamber as the light enveloped him. The next thing he knew, he flew down a tunnel of light with impossible colors.


	6. Chapter 6: Welcome to Remnant!

Chapter 6

He fell through the tunnel of impossible colors. He didn't know how long he fell nor how far. In a way, it reminded him of hyperspace. Except that in hyperspace, you were traveling in a ship, whereas he was in clone commando armor with his Jedi tunic underneath, plus the undergarments and not much else.

"KRRRRIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFF!" He shouted as he fell.

Just then, he saw an opening. At first, he smiled, seeing an end to this insane ride... until he remembered how fast he was going and that if he hit anything, he could end up being dead.

With just a few seconds, or so it appeared, he decided to land butt-first. He twisted himself as he exited the hole.

XXXXX

For the Huntress, it was just another night in Vale. There had been a string of robberies lately and her superior wanted the culprit caught. She stood on a rooftop overlooking the street. She had a bird's eye view of the lit city street with the pedestrians walking through the night. She saw a shop at the end, still open this late at night. That was her stake-out.

The last person that went into the shop, From Dust Til Dawn, was a teenage girl in a gothic black dress with a red hooded cape and stockings. She sighed as she looked at the girl. It reminded her of herself when she was young. It also reminded her of her children.

She put a hand on her stomach as she thought of them. All of them were gone, far away from her. She would probably never see them again. Not a day went by when she thought about them.

Since then, she had put herself into her work, hoping that she would never encounter her no-good husband ever again.

Suddenly, she heard a noise from the alleyway next to her. She peered over to see something opening right above a dumpster. From above she saw nothing, but from what could be seen under it, it was glowing.

Something came out of the apparent hole and landed into the bin with a loud 'Kriff' being heard. She poked her head over the roof to see what was down there. She put her fingers to her glasses, pushing them farther up her nose.

An armored man lay in the dumpster, groaning. His armor was gray with what appeared to be some kind of tunic underneath. In his left hand was some kind of rifle or sub-machine gun maybe. His helmet had a glowing blue T-shaped visor with the 'T' splitting off at the bottom, above the chin.

The apparent soldier looked around.

"Great, absolutely great." The soldier said, annoyed. His voice crackled electronically through the helmet's speakers. He sounded young. He got out of the dumpster groaning. He then looked at himself, inspecting his armor.

"Well, that's just kriffing terrific!" He said, angrily. Just as he pointed his head to the sky, she ducked her head back out of view, not wanting to be seen by the stranger.

"Thank you!" He yelled sarcastically to the sky.

"Thank you _so_ much!" She heard him grunt. Personally, she wanted to giggle at his situation. Of course, she also wanted to know where he was from along with who he was.

She ran the possibility that he may be a Special Operative with the Atlas military, maybe one of Jame Ironwood's men.

"Now, where in the hell am I?" The soldier thought aloud. She poked her head over the roof again. She saw him take off his helmet, revealing a short-cropped brown-haired head with a braid of hair. He produced a small circular disk-like object. He tapped it with his gauntleted finger. The disk's center glowed.

"Can anyone hear me?" He asked aloud to the object.

"This is Padawan Artyr Sym of the Jedi Order. Is there anyone on this frequency?" He asked. She tilted her head and her eyes widened as she took a deep breath. She saw the head start to turn and she ducked back out of view. She looked up at the sky.

"Oh my Gods," She whispered, shaking her head. She couldn't believe it. She slowly peeked back at the man. She saw him still talking to the apparent communicator.

He tapped it again.

"Republic Outer Rim Command, come in. This is Padawan Artyr Sym, do you copy?" He asked. Nothing happened. No one answered.

"You've _got_ to be shitting me!" He said angrily, putting the disk away.

"What the hell am I supposed to do no-" He started grunting in pain and clutching his head as he shook. He grunted in pain as he clutched his head.

Her heat beat rapidly as she watched him suffer something she couldn't understand. She gripped the stone tightly. She wanted to vault over this roof and rush to him, comfort him in his suffering. She watched him breath heavily and then stop. He looked up.

"Where am I?" she heard him whisper. The huntress watched him run out into the street, looking around. She tried to make sure that she was out of view. From what she saw of his face, he looked very handsome, almost like he had been a statue in an art museum. He had the beginnings of a beard.

XXXX

Artyr Sym looked around at the unfamiliar city around him. The buildings were made of concrete, he figured, something not a lot of worlds in the galaxy used in the present age. The road was paved. Everything looked a bit... primitive to say the least. Not that he meant anyone disrespect, it's just that... he never saw street-lights like that before.

Just then, he noticed a light from his right and got out of the street just as a vehicle on four wheels sped past him, honking.

"Get out of the street, asshole!" A voice called, before turning.

"Who in the hell uses wheeled vehicles in this day and age?" He wondered aloud. He then looked up at the moon and froze.

 _"By the Force,"_ He whispered as he looked at the shattered moon from his visions. He breathed heavily as he looked back down.

"What's going on?" He whispered, shaking his head.

He tried to think straight. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He looked around and then spotted what appeared to be some kind of shop.

Seconds earlier, he had another vision.

 _A shop with a sign, written in a language he couldn't understand._

 _An old man behind the counter with hair at his temples_

 _Tubes filled with some kind of crystals. Each tube dispenser holding some colored crystal._

 _A young girl with a strange black dress, a red cape, and black stockings_

 _A group of men in black suits and hats, following a red-haired man with a cigar and a cane._

 _The red-haired man smiling as he aimed his cane, now revealed to be a weapon._

 _"This is where we part ways," The man said, smiling._

He looked at the shop and realized that it was the same shop from the vision. He made sure his helmet was magnetically clasped to his belt and began walking. He felt out-of-place here. He approached the well-lit shop and walked into it.

The inside was brightly lit. Racks of plastic-wrapped snacks filled the store along with cooling units for drinks. The back of the store had the same crystal dispensers he saw in the vision. He saw the old man behind the counter.

"Hello there, sir." Artyr said, bowing his head respectfully.

The old man looked at him.

"You have strange armor for a soldier," The old man said.

"I'm actually an apprentice with the Jedi Order. A friend of mine gave me this armor. I use it always." The old man looked at him questioningly.

"'Jedi Order'?" He asked.

"Jedi Knights?" Artyr said, trying to refresh his memory.

"Kid, are you telling tales?" The old man asked.

"No, I'm actually a Jedi, sir." he said. Then, he changed the subject.

"Sir, I'm afraid I don't know where I am. Do you know what planet I'm on?" he asked, walking forward. The old man blinked.

"Are you high?" The old man asked.

"No, sir. I don't do drugs... well, I smoke death-sticks, but that's another matter entirely." Artyr answered honestly. The old man stared at him.

"You're on Remnant. You're not from around here... are you?" He asked. Artyr shook his head.

"No, I was actually on a mission in the Outer Rim of the galaxy," He explained.

"Um, I was wondering if you know where I can find the nearest communications center? I need to report to the Jedi Temple and ask if they can send a ship for me to get back home." He asked, gesturing as he spoke.

The old man frowned.

"I am serious, sir." He said. He then looked at the dispensers.

"If I may ask, sir. Are those khyber crystals?" He asked, pointing his thumb at the crystals.

"You don't know what dust is?" The shopkeeper asked.

"No," The Jedi answered, shaking his head. The old man made a 'hmm' and muttered something under his breath as he reached under the glass counter and took out four crystals, each a different color.

"These crystals are called 'dust'. They contain certain powers." The shopkeeper explained.

"Like khyber crystals?" Artyr asked.

"What are 'khyber' crystals?" The shopkeeper asked. Artyr produced his lightsaber.

"Khyber crystals are used to power Jedi lightsabers." He explained. He pressed the activation plate. The blade hummed to life. The old man's eyes widened and he gasped.

"There are such things as synthetic khyber crystals, which are usually red and much stronger. However, Jedi don't use those." He explained.

"Well, these crystals hold the elements themselves." The old man said, regaining his composure. He picked up a red crystal.

"This is a fire dust. When hit, it explodes." He said.

"This white one is lightning," He said, picking up a white crystal.

He picked up the blue one.

"This is water dust," He said. Then he picked up the yellow one.

"This is energy," He explained.

"These crystals are used in weapons and ammo. However, some folks like to put dust into their clothes and their bodies." The old man explained.

"People put these kind of crystals into their bodies?" Artyr asked, picking up a fire crystal.

"Yep... but the side effects can be _really_ bad." The old man nodded.

"Like addiction bad?" Artyr asked, dipping his head.

"It can be even worse," The old man affirmed.

"Huh," Artyr said. He wondered about the possibility about using the yellow dust in case he needed a spare lightsaber.

"So, want to buy something?" The old man asked.

"Well, all I've got are Republic credits," Artyr said, producing the credits he had. The old man frowned.

"Never seen money like that before," He said.

"Standard all across the galaxy, though in the Outer Rim, they tend to use cold hard cash." Artyr explained.

"Which is what you need, because I'm not taking that." The old man said, pointing at it. The Jedi sadly nodded.

"Tell you what, kid." The shopkeeper said, rubbing his chin.

"If you were to protect my shop, I'll pay you in lien."

"What's lien?" He asked.

"Standard currency on Remant," The old man explained.

He then felt something ripple in the Force. He looked up. There was something dark heading this way... something bad. Artyr walked to the front of the store to see a group of men walking down the street. Almost all of the men wore black suits and red ties along with black sunglasses.

"Why in the galaxy are they wearing those at night?" He wondered aloud. Leading the group, he noticed was...

"Ah, shit." He muttered. He sped to the counter.

"Sir, I need you to get out of the store, right now." He said, seriously. The old man looked at him, worried.

"What? Why?"

"There's a group of dangerous looking men coming down the street. I think there's going to be a fight. I'd suggest you run out the back." He said. The old man stammered.

"B-B-"

"Don't worry about the damages, the Jedi Order will foot the bill. Now, is there anyone else in the store? Anyone at all?"

"There's the girl over by the magazine stand," The old man said. Artyr wanted to ask about the girl, but decided against it.

"Get the kid out of here and contact the local authorities. I'll stay here and deal with them." Artyr said.

"What will you do?" The old man asked.

"I'll hold them here. Just get out of here with that kid."

"Make sure they don't take the dust!" The old man said as he got out from behind the counter.

"I won't!" Artyr said, standing by the counter. Artyr used the Force to get his lightsaber to his hand. He gripped it tightly. He heard the old man warn the girl in the back. He didn't concentrate on it.

He watched the men walk into the shop. Artyr forced a smile.

"Hello there," he said with open arms with the same tone that he heard Master Kenobi use.

"Evening," The red-haired man said with the cigar in his mouth. The men looked at him warily.

"Wasn't there an old man that runs this joint?" The man asked, looking around.

"Oh, he left for the night. I'm taking over for the shift." Artyr lied, grinning. The man scoffed.

"You're not fooling me, kid. I suggest you get out before anyone gets hurt." The man said, nudging his head out the door.

The Jedi lifted his lightsaber hilt.

"Funny, I was going to say the exact same thing." He said.

"Look, I don't have all damn night. Leave or you get hurt or worse." The man said. Then, he felt something next to him.

Artyr very slowly looked to his right.

"Oh..." He started to say as he saw a girl about half his height in a black dress with black stockings, a red hooded cape, and red-tinged hair as well as silver eyes.

"Poodoo," Artyr said, looking up as the men eyed her.

"Correction: Leave now or the girl gets hurt." The red-haired man threatened as two of the men aimed firearms at her. Artyr stood in front of her.

"Your funeral, pal." The red-haired man said, non-chalantly. He nodded. The men opened fire just as Artyr activated his lightsaber. He deflected the rounds as they fired, spinning as he did so while walking forward. On the final spin, he slashed at one of the men. The saber cut through the man's arm at a diagonal angle, instantly cauterizing the wound as the hand cut off.

The man screamed the smell of burnt flesh and cloth filled the air. The padawan kicked the man in the stomach into the glass wall as the injured man clutched his hand.

Artyr faced the rest of the group in a combat stance, his left leg forward and bent. He glared at the men.

"Great! We've got a huntsman to deal with!" The red-haired man said, angrily as he stared back.

"On the contrary, my dear robber:" Artyr raised his saber as he sickeningly grinned.

"You're dealing with a Jedi," He said.

A few more men rushed at him as they wielded what appeared to be red-tinged meat a few strikes, he cut off their blade-wielding hands. Just then, he heard a 'hi ya!' behind him and something crashing through the glass window. He turned his head to see a knocked out robber with the girl standing over him.

She then produced something which unfolded into a massive scythe.

"By the Force," Artyr whispered in awe. She then hefted the scythe over her shoulder. The padawan grinned as he laughed. He then looked at the robber.

"Looks like you're surrounded by a Jedi and a grim reaper, my friend." He said as he turned his head, only to see the robber and the remaining men run out the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, gesturing with his hand. The white-coat wearing man rose into the air.

"What the hell?!" He roared. Artyr stepped over the broken window as he held up his hand. The man was now about fifteen feet in the air.

"What's your name, sir?" Artyr asked. The man looked at him angrily.

"Up yours!" He roared back as he aimed his cane, a crosshair appearing over the barrel of the newly-revealed gun.

"I don't think so," Artyr said, dropping his hand. The man dropped to the ground as he fired. Artyr ran as the blast went over his head and hit the counter, making an explosion as glass flew everywhere thanks to the violent combination of the round and the dust in the counter.

The padawan walked over to the man, who was grunting in pain, one of his legs bent at an unnatural anger.

"You son of a bitch!" The man barked raising his cane. Artyr reached out his hand and made it into a ball. The cane crumpled into ball.

"By the gods, what the hell are you?!" The man asked, fearfully. The padawan stood over him, his lighted blade in hand. The Jedi crouched and grabbed the man by the collar as he deactivated his blade.

"I'm the worst Jedi you've ever met, pal." He said in the man's face. He felt his rage boil.

"You tried to kill a kid tonight," He said, his voice getting deeper. He stared into the man's eyes.

"You tried to rob a store which would've ended up killing an old man," He added, his voice still going deeper. The man's eyes widened in fear.

"You're lucky I live by the Code. Otherwise: you would be dead right now." The Padawan said. He then punched the man in the face, knocking him out.

"Prick," He muttered, standing up. He looked over at the girl. She then sped up to him.

"Are you a huntsman? Can I get your autograph?" She asked, cheerfully. Her eyes looked so happy. In fact, she looked very cute. Artyr smiled.

"I'm not a huntsman, sorry to disappoint you." He said, his voice back to normal.

"I'm a Jedi and-" He then heard an engine roar and looked at its direction. He saw some kind of hover craft rise from a large alleyway. He frowned seeing this. The cockpit looked dark and there was no one in sight.

Then, he saw something look at him from the cockpit. Two yellow eyes glared at him. His eyes widened.

"Oh, kriff." He whispered. He reactivated his lightsaber as he raised his hand and curled it towards him. The hovercraft floated in place, the engines roaring to get away. The Jedi threw his saber at the tail end of the craft. The blade spun through the air, melting through the metal and severing the craft.

It dropped down onto the street with a loud noise, making a hole in the street. He caught his blade after recalling it with the Force.

"Wow," The girl said in awe.

"What's your name, kid?" He asked, looking at her.

"Ruby, Ruby Rose." The girl answered.

"Okay, Ruby. I want you to stay right here." Artyr said, pointing to the ground.

"I can handle myself in a fight."

"Need I remind you, you would've gotten shot if I hadn't deflected those bullets." Artyr pointed out.

"I would've gotten out of the way," Ruby argued.

"I don't think you're Force-sensitive," Artyr said, shaking his head.

"What's 'Force-sensitive' mean?"

"It means that you can use this thing called the Force to do things like leap large distances, jump real high, go real fast, move objects, persuade people, that sort of thing." Artyr explained.

"Now, enough explanations. I'm going over there to check it out."

"I want to come with you," Ruby pleaded. He sighed.  
"Fine, but stay by me, okay?" He said.

"Okay!" She said, nodding. She hefted her scythe. He watched as the scythe evolved into something resembling a gun... a big one.

The Jedi and the apparent reaper ran over to the crash site. He activated his lightsaber as he went inside. He checked the cockpit. There was no sign of the pilot.

"Damn!" He roared and then cursed at himself as he realized he swore in the presence of a kid. He poked his head out of the craft to look down the street. Whoever was in here was nowhere in sight.

He sighed as he tried to concentrate, using the Force to sense where the apparent Sith was. After all, what could a person with those yellow eyes be other than a Sith?

He sensed that the Sith was now away, far away. He sighed. Whomever it was, this was bad news. He got out of the wreckage.

"Well, looks like you've got a Sith problem." Artyr announced, getting out of the wreckage.

"A what?" She asked.

"Sith," Artyr said.

"Dark side force users. They're my order's enemies." He explained.

"So, why'd you take down the bullhead?" Ruby asked, curious.

"Oh, I saw the Sith looking at me funny so, I, uh-" he used a throwing gesture.

"Shot him or her down," He explained.

"Do you always try to hurt people if they look at you funny?" Ruby asked.

"Nope, just the ones that hurt folks like you." Artyr said, smiling. Just then he felt a presence land.

"Ahem," A female voice said. Both turned to see a tall, human woman. She had blonde hair in a bun, with light green eyes that hid behind a pair of oval glasses. She wore a white blouse with black paints. She crossed her arms with a very displeased expression.


	7. Chapter 7: Interrogation And A Bargain

Chapter 7

Artyr Sym sat in an interrogation room at the local law enforcement precinct. He sighed. He had been stripped of his armor and weapons. The woman glared at him.

If he had to guess, she was some kind of law enforcement agent or something. She had some kind of baton with her. Earlier, she had asked him his name, to which he responded.

"You are in very serious trouble, young man. Do you realize the property damage you've caused in just the span of twenty minutes?" She asked, angrily.

"Look, I didn't even ask to be here, okay? Just contact the Jedi Temple on Coruscant so they can deal with this." Artyr said, dismissively.

"And just where is this 'Coruscant'?" The woman asked, not impressed.

"The Core Worlds, close to the center of the galaxy." Artyr explained. She looked at him.

"Well, I don't think they can help you with this, as so far, you destroyed the window, ceiling, walls, counter, and pieces of the floor of a store, not to mention the amputation of about four hands, plus the destruction of a city street." The woman said, counting off the tally of the destruction.

"Ma'am... it just happened, okay?" Artyr said, sighing.

"It didn't 'just happen', a young girl nearly got killed." The woman argued, leaning forward on the table.

"And I made sure she came out okay!" Artyr retorted.

"Not only that, but I think you have a Sith problem." Artyr said. She looked at him strangely.

"A 'Sith' problem?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah, the pilot of that hovercraft-" He started to say.

"Bullhead," She corrected him.

"Whatever, had yellow eyes," Artyr said. She looked at him, shaking her head.

"A lot of people have yellow eyes," She said.

"Where I come from, people with those kinds of eyes are usually Sith, dark-side Force users." Artyr explained.

"And what exactly are you again, Mr Sym?" She asked.

"Padawan of the Jedi Order." He said.

"'Jedi Order', what is that?" She asked.

"We're the defenders of the Galactic Republic for a thousand generations, ever since its founding. We deal with every kind of problem you can think of, every kind." He said. She blinked.

"And these 'Sith' have been your enemies for that long?" She asked.

"Supposing I believe everything you say," She added.

"Yeah," He said.

"Might I ask why you were in that area this time of night?" The woman asked.

"I got sent through some kind of portal, by my reckoning." He explained.

"A portal?" The woman asked, dipping her head in disbelief.

"Yeah, I was on a mission on another planet, found this big chamber and there was this metal ring with a crystal inside it." He explained, telling a half-truth. He didn't want to tell her about the entire mission or the Force ghosts.

"I touched it, it wouldn't let go of me, and the next thing I know: I'm sent flying through a portal and crash-land into a dumpster."

"That explains the smell," The woman said, taking a sniff.

Artyr sighed angrily.

Just then, a man entered the room. He was a tall man, with silver hair that was somewhat messy. Dark glasses hung low on his nose and green eyes. He leaned a cane that was smaller than. He wore a brown coat over a vest and tie. In his hand was a mug.

"Hello there," The old man said. If Artyr had to guess, he was probably in his fifties.

"Hello there," Artyr greeted back.

"I heard you say you're from off-world?" The man asked. Artyr nodded.

"That would be correct. I'm a member of the Jedi Order and a Commander in the Grand Army of the Galactic Republic." He explained.

"And how may I ask did you arrive on our world?" The man asked, sitting. Artyr repeated what he told Glynda. The man made a 'hmm' sound.

"What exactly is your rank in the Order? Are you high-ranking?" The man asked, interested.

"No, I'm just an apprentice." Artyr explained, crossing his arms.

"And you are a commander in the galactic army, as well? How does that work?"

"When the war started, the Jedi were given ranks to lead the military. Jedi Knights and above are Generals. Padawans are commanders." Artyr said. The woman looked at him in shock.

"Did you just say 'war'?" She asked, worried.

"Yeah, we've been at war for close to two or three years now." He said. The man leaned back.

"War with whom?" He asked.

"The Separatist Alliance. They're rebels that are trying to break away from the Republic." The Jedi said.

"How old are you, Padawan?" He asked, curious.

"I'm sixteen," Artyr explained.

"Ah, the same age as Miss Rose." He said, smiling. Artyr looked at him.

"The kid's sixteen?" The Padawan said in disbelief. She was so much smaller than him.

"Yes, and she was very impressed with your skills last night. She actually believed that you were a huntsman. She was quite disappointed when I told her you were not." The man said. He took a sip of his cup.

"Which brings me to this," He said. The woman produced a device that had a holographic screen. Footage showed Artyr in combat against the robbers.

"Your Order must've taught you well to do such swordplay with that blade of yours,"Ozpin said.

"I learned the basics from Masters Yoda and Fisto, along with Force-augmented martial arts from Master Windu."

"I assume they were your teachers?" The man asked, interested.

"Masters Fisto and Windu were more like tutors," Artyr said.

"So, Yoda taught you?" He asked. Artyr nodded.

"The basics until I became a padawan," He said.

"So, who taught you afterwards?" The man asked.

"Master Bellophoron," Artyr explained.

"After that, Master Almira." He added.

"Why did you change teachers?" The man asked, crossing his arms. Artyr looked at him.

"I apologize for sounding so blunt but, that's none of your damned concern." He said, flatly. The man's eyebrows raised in surprise. The woman glared at him with anger.

"You will speak with respect to him!" The woman scolded the apprentice.

"I don't even know either of you!" Artyr exclaimed, pointing at both of them.

"Ah, you forgot to introduce yourself, I see, Professor Goodwitch." The man said, looking over at the woman.

"Hmph," Goodwitch said.

"And you are...?" Artyr asked, gesturing for him to go on.

"Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy." The man answered.

Artyr looked at him. A school headmaster?! He looked at the woman. Both of these people were professors. Just what did professors want with a guy like him?!

"Another thing I must ask:" Ozpin said.

"Do all Jedi use telekinesis?" He asked as footage of Artyr raising the robber off the ground was shown along with him crumpling the cane and him holding the Bullhead in place.

"It's not just telekinesis, Professor Ozpin. It's the Force."

"'The Force,'" Ozpin echoed.

"What is it?" He asked

"The Force is a living energy field. It binds the universe together along with penetrating and protecting us. When every sapient being is born, pieces of the Force fragment into that individual's lifeforce. When that person dies, that person's lifeforce goes back into the Force. Certain individuals like myself are capable of sensing things, like rippiles or 'disturbances' in the Force."

"What can one do with the 'Force'?" Ozpin asked.

"For starters, move objects. That's the first thing Jedi learn as younglings. You can crush things, sense people's motives, feelings, run fast, leap high, lift heavy objects." Artyr explained.

"And if someone's weak-willed, use a mind trick." He added. Ozpin made a satisfied 'hmm'.

"Of course, if you're more of a dark side Force user, or 'Sith' as we call them, along with Dark Jedi, they tend to focus more on choking people until their necks are broken or using Force lightning."

"So, Force-users can use elemental powers?" Ozpin asked.

"No, only Force-lightning for dark-siders. That's it." Artyr explained.

"Professor Goodwitch and I also noticed that you were quite heavily armed and armored. Are all Jedi to wear that armor?"

"No, I'm the exception. Usually, we wear tunics." Artyr explained.

Ozpin and Goodwitch looked at eachother.

"You've explained what you are, now let me explain what we are," Ozpin said.

"Professor Goodwitch and I are what are called 'huntsmen and huntresses'. We are a group of people sworn to protect this world from any foe, much like your Jedi Order. Only, our powers, called 'Semblances' vary." Ozpin explained.

"Just what do you hunt?" Artyr asked, leaning forward.

"Creatures of Grimm," Goodwitch explained. She then looked at her device, tapped it and then showed something.

Artyr's eyes widened.

"Holy shit," He whispered.

The creature he saw was big, massive even. It was the half the size of an AT-TE. Quills came out of its back as it stood on massive, three-foot-long clawed paws, its fur was black as midnight with a white mask over its face. Its eyes were glowing red.

Artyr's breathing slowed as a terrible memory came to mind.

 _He approached the beast from behind, underground. He heard it feasting on something fleshy as he approached it from behind, rifle raised at its rear. Its tail was massive in the underground level._

 _Blood was spattered across the walls along with claw marks._

 _He approached it, wondering what this thing was. His hands shook as he aimed the rifle. Just then,the beast stopped eating and growled. He jumped back as it turned around to face him._

 _He saw its horrible face and its soulless red eyes that glared at him. The white mask hung over its face as its open, sharp maw opened to roar at him. He could see the blood and meat in its mouth._

 _"By the Force," he whispered. Just what the hell had the Separatists created down here?!_

"Are you alright, Mr. Sym?" he heard Ozpin ask. Artyr blinked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He said, rubbing his eyes.

"I'll repeat myself seeing as how you spaced out," Ozpin said.

"Creatures of Grimm come in various sizes and types," Ozpin explained.

"Typically, they all have red eyes and have white masks over their faces. That's the common trait." He added.

"They have no souls," Goodwitch said. That was an odd thing to say.

"What she means is that on this planet, everyone from animals to humans and faunus have what's called an aura. Basically, it's our soul that can act as a barrier and heal minor injuries. Not all people are born with what's called a 'Semblance'. And a semblance is a power that a particular person has." Ozpin explained.

"Sounds something akin to the Force," Artyr commented. How would the Masters back on Coruscant react to all this, he wondered.

"This is very interesting. Perhaps, if you contacted the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, my order would be happy to help you exterminate the Grimm." Artyr said. Goodwitch bit her lip and Ozpin gritted his teeth. The headmaster rubbed the back of his neck as he whispered 'oh, boy.'.

"Artyr, do you know what a light-year is?" He asked. The padawan nodded.

"Of course! It's the amount of time and distance light travels across space."

"Now, does your Galactic Republic have Faster-Than-Light communications and travel?" Ozpin asked.

"Communications usually instantaneous in this day and age. Plus, we have the hyperdrive. So, yeah, we have those." Artyr said.

"Artyr... our world, as you may now realize, is seriously underdeveloped technologically compared to whatever your people have." Ozpin explained.

"If we were to send out a signal with our current technology, it would take centuries to thousands of years for it to reach another star. We do not have light-speed communications, only radio signals." He added.

"Radio signals?!" Artyr gasped in disbelief.

"Not only that, Artyr, but we don't do space travel either. We did at one point in the past with chemical-fueled engines, but that was decades ago." Ozpin explained. Artyr stared.

"What I'm trying to say, Padawan Sym, is that you're going to be stuck here for a very, very, _very_ long time." Ozpin explained. Artyr's jaw dropped as he considered the implications of it all.

He was stuck here... meaning no one would find out what happened to him until a long time afterwards. This world didn't have that much development in terms of space flight and interstellar communications. In all, he was completely and utterly kriffed.

"Well... shit." Artyr stated, shaking his head.

"Indeed," Ozpin said, nodding.

The Jedi clutched his head.

"However, I can offer you something." Ozpin said, nodding. He looked up.

"What?"

"What if you could become a huntsman?" Ozpin asked. Artyr crossed his arms.

"Let me compare your order with huntsmen," The headmaster explained.

"Both groups protect people from monsters, both human and non-human."

"So, you do more than just kill evil-looking creatures?" Artyr asked. Ozpin nodded.

"Of course,"

"Do you do it within the bounds of the law?" Artyr asked. Ozpin pursed his lips right before Artyr tilted his head.

"You people are extra-legal?! Are you all out of your kriffing minds?! That's grounds for some oppressive shit!" Artyr barked, rapid-fire.

"There's a reason for that," Ozpin started to say.

"Oh, do go ahead. Tell me how:" Artyr leaned forward, slamming his fist on the table, making a noticeable dent.  
"You people are above the law!" He shouted.

"In the order, we try to follow all laws and regulations that the Republic Senate has passed. If one of us breaks it, we answer to the Council, which answers to the Supreme Chancellor's Office, which can also answer to the Republic Senate." Artyr said, giving example.

"The forces here on this world, also work outside the law. Sometimes, so must we." Ozpin explained. Artyr tilted his head.

"What forces?" Artyr asked, squinting his eyes.

"Remember that 'Sith problem' you mentioned earlier?" Ozpin asked, leaning forward.

"Glynda, make sure we're not being observed." He said without turning to her. Goodwitch nodded and turned off the security camera in the corner and looked outside. She then went outside the room and closed the door.

"What I am about to tell you is specifically known amongst myself, certain teachers and huntsmen, the other headmasters at the other three academies which train the future huntsmen for this planet, certain officials, and even a general of the Atlas military command." Ozpin said, seriously.

"There is a dark conspiracy. We don't know how many there are, how far they reach, or even where they're headquartered." He began.

"We know that they're working to undermine and destroy the four kingdoms that rule this world, possibly even exterminating humanity." He said. Artyr crossed his arms as he thought about it. It sounded very much like the Sith.

"They're led by a certain woman," Professor Ozpin said. The Jedi looked at him. The headmaster sighed.

"Her name is Salem. And she has been my enemy for a very long time." Ozpin said, softly. Artyr clutched his head as he felt a throbbing pain in his head.

 _He saw the pale-ashen woman with platinum blonde hair. Her torturous red eyes looked at him with harmful intent. She stood on a rocky outcropping, wearing a black dress. Her beauty was both strange and terrifying to behold._

He breathed heavily as his sight returned back to reality and looked up. Ozpin looked at him with concern, holding his shoulder.

"Are you alright, Padawan Sym?" He asked.

"I'm fine. It's nothing. I've had these all the time since I was a small child." Artyr explained. Ozpin looked at him.

"This 'Salem'," Artyr started to say.

"What exactly is she?" He asked.

"Have you ever heard of a 'witch'?" Ozpin asked. Artyr nodded.

"I've heard stories about the witches of Dathomir," He said, remembering a few stories he heard.

"Well, she's the worst kind of witch you'd ever face," Ozpin said, seriously.

"What does she look like?" Artyr asked, curious. Ozpin looked at him with reluctance as he gripped his mug tightly.

"You'll know her if you see her," He said. Artyr blinked and rubbed his head, the pain still echoing.

"What say you, Padawan Sym? How would you like to be the first off-world huntsman?" Ozpin asked.

Artyr looked at him as he thought about it. He was far from home, on a primitive planet, with some kind of Sith group running around along with dark red-eyed creatures one would swear were created by the dark side of the Force. Well, he was the only Jedi around. No Jedi Council or Master Almira, or even a clone regiment to back him up on this one.

He gritted his teeth.

"Fine," He said, nodding.

"But, just so your people know: I'm a Jedi. That means that not only do I protect the people and the galaxy, I also follow and uphold the laws. So, here's the deal: I join your group, whatever it's called, I help you out as the only Jedi you've got down here, along with representing the Order and the Republic." Artyr said, bargaining.

"And in return, I expect you all to follow the damn laws of this planet. If something's going on: call me. I'm a Jedi. I've got the authority, but I'm also not above the law."

"Funny, how you say that as you did destroy a city street." Ozpin said, tilting his head as he spoke.

"Don't start with me, Professor." Artyr warned, pointing a finger at the man.

"Whatever's going on involving that group: call me. If you need me to get someone out: call me. If you want me to investigate something: call me."

"But what I won't do is kill innocent people if that's what it takes to uphold your little conspiracy." Artyr warned. Ozpin looked at him, impressed.

"You're making a very bold bargain, Padawan Sym." Ozpin commented. Artyr raised a finger.

"One last thing: if it turns out, both of you kriffers are vying for power and control over this planet _and_ both of you treat the people here like crap." Artyr said, emphasizing 'and'.

"One punishment for you all," He continued.

"And that would be?" Ozpin said, leaning forward. Artyr made his hand look like he was holding up a saber.

"My lightsaber goes up each and every _one_ of your _asses, blade first._ " he threatened, gesturing the hand upwards as he spoke.

Ozpin made a 'hmm'.

"A very humiliating punishment," He commented.

"Surely, you would turn us over to the courts." Ozpin said. Artyr started to speak.

"If there any left after Salem destroys them all," He added.

Artyr closed his mouth.

"Do you accept my conditions or not, Headmaster?" Artyr asked.

Ozpin rubbed his chin and then nodded.

"We have a deal, master Jedi." He said, extending his hand.

Artyr shook it.

"Now then, as to the matter of where you'll be staying the night..." He said.

"I told Miss Rose that it was likely that you were homeless and that you needed shelter. I asked if her father would offer you shelter for the night as you are to go to Beacon Academy tomorrow morning on an airship." He said. Artyr looked at him.

"Why in the galaxy would you tell the kid that?"

"Well, she seemed eager to help you, seeing as how you are, to use her terms 'super cool'." Ozpin said. Artyr blinked as he shook his head.

"That kid," He whispered.

 _'Kind of reminds me of Ahsoka,'_ he thought.

"She's calling her father right now to ask. If he refuses, we'll find better lodgings for the night." Ozpin said.

Just then, Goodwitch opened the door from outside.

"Her father says it's alright," She said.

Ozpin nodded.

"Well, there you have it. I trust that you won't do anything... immoral at the house?" Ozpin asked.

"Now, why would you ask that?"

"Because, I know Ruby Rose's father. He has two daughters to care for, both of which are now going to Beacon in the morning. So, I trust that I need not remind you to behave yourself." Ozpin said, looking at him with a wary expression.

"I wouldn't even dream of it," Artyr said.

"Excellent, I'll see you tomorrow." Ozpin said, nodding.

Artyr stood up.

"See you tomorrow, Master Ozpin." Artyr said, nodding his head.

Ozpin bowed his head back. The Jedi left the room.

XXX

Glynda Goodwitch walked alongside the two teenagers.

"A squad car will take you both back to Patch," She explained.

"'Patch'?" The Jedi asked, looking at her.

"That's my hometown," Ruby said.

"I trust that you will behave, Mr. Sym?" Goodwitch asked as she escorted them outside.

"Of course, Mistress Goodwitch." Artyr said, nodding as they walked down the steps.

"Seriously though, my gear's in the car, right?" Artyr asked at the bottom of the steps.

"Yes, it will be handed over upon your arrival at Patch." Goodwitch said, formally.

"Very well," The Jedi said. He started to turn and then stopped.

"Goodwitch, remind Ozpin of our bargain. And tell him 'Blade first,' The Jedi said. The huntress furrowed her eyebrows.

Did that boy threaten Ozpin?! She glared at him.

"I'll be sure to remind him," She growled. Artyr smiled.

"See you in the morning!" He called as he went over to the car.

Glynda sighed as she watched the car go away into the night. Her expression softened as she clutched her abdomen.

"You're all grown up," She whispered.

"Sixteen years," She whispered as she walked back into the police station. There was the matter of paperwork, some talk with certain officials... and, the likely repercussions of tonight's events.

"And he's fighting a war," She said under her breath. Just what the hell had happened to him?!

"You seem distressed, Glynda." Ozpin said as she saw him in the station.

"It's nothing, Headmaster." She said, changing her expression to one of formality.

He then walked up to her and whispered.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I want a blood and DNA test on Artyr Sym as soon as possible," she requested. He looked at her with a questioning look. Her eyes told him not to ask.

"I have my reasons," she said. Ozpin made a 'hmm' sound and nodded.

"What's this about 'blade first'?" She asked, crossing her arms. Ozpin chuckled.

"I'll tell you and the others about it when we get back to Beacon. Trust me, you'll love this." He said.


	8. Chapter 8: Dinner At Ruby's

Chapter 8

"This is so cool! You're going to meet my Dad and my sister and sleep at our house!" Ruby said, excitedly as they sat in the police... what was it Goodwitch called it? A 'car'? Back home, every world used speeders and walkers, except for the new Juggernauts they were deploying.

"Can you show them your moves?" She asked the Jedi as he sat next to her.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Ruby." He said.

"Hey, can you teach me how to use that laser-sword?" She asked. He smiled as he shook his head.

"It's called a 'lightsaber'. It's the weapon that every Jedi uses." He told her.

"And no, I believe you already have a weapon." He said, referring to the scythe.

"Yeah, but your weapon looks _so_ much cooler." She said.

"Y'know, I actually have a little sister myself." Artyr said.

"Really?" She asked.

"She's younger than you of, course." He said, nodding.

"What's her name?"

"Ahsoka Tano. She's an apprentice like me." He said.

She looked at him in disbelief.

"Apprentice?" She croaked.

"That's right. Jedi come in a few levels of rank:" Artyr explained.

"Younglings are the initiates, raised since infancy by the Order in Force-use and lightsaber combat until they're chosen by Jedi Knights or in some cases, Jedi Masters. Next come the Padawans, or 'apprentices', who are taught by 'Knights'. The rank above that is 'Master'. The Jedi who lead the Order are the Jedi Council. The Council elects a Grandmaster of the Order." He further explained.

"You guys are trained since you were babies?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," He nodded, unsure how to explain it all to a girl his age, whom had never even seen a Jedi much less heard of one.

"So, what are you doing here?" Ruby asked. Artyr chuckled. Oh, jeez. How was he going to explain all of this?

"Well, I was on a mission on another planet." He started to explain. Ruby's eyes lit up.

"You're from outer space?! Are you an alien?!" She asked, quickly. He raised his hands, urging her to calm down.

"Yes, I'm from outer space. I was raised on a world called 'Coruscant', though I think I may not have been born there."

"What's it like, outer space?" she asked, smiling. Artyr didn't know what to say.

From what Ruby was saying, it looked like the locals on this planet didn't know that there was anything alive outside of their world. Of course, there surely must have been theories.

But, what could he tell her? She probably grew up reading fiction about life in space and such things. He sighed. He didn't want to down her hopes.

"It's not what you'd expect, really." He started to say.

"Y'see, the galaxy's at war." he stated.

He heard the police officer driving scoff. Artyr shook his head at the man. He wouldn't believe it until Separatist ships starting appearing in orbit and clankers were marching down his city streets.

"We've been at war for close to three years now," He explained to Ruby.

"So, you've been fighting in the war? Did you fight aliens?" She asked. He grinned as he looked at her innocent face. She was pure and innocent, judging by her demeanor. He inwardly sighed. If only others were like that.

"I have, yes. I've also fought mainly droids."

"What's a 'droid'?" She asked.

"A robot, basically. We like to call them 'clankers'." He explained. She looked at him questioningly.

"'Cause when they walk they make a 'clank' sound." He explained further.

"Ah," The girl said.

"So, I heard that you're also sixteen, right?" He asked. She looked at him.

"You're sixteen, too?!" She asked in disbelief.

"But, you're so _big_!" She said in awe.

"And you're so small," He retorted.

"Aw, look at the love birds." The officer teased. Artyr glared at the officer driving. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the girl's face turn red.

 _'Oh, you have to be shitting me.'_ He thought, hiding his fear.

 _'What would Lira think?'_ He sighed. His eyes widened as he realized what he had forgotten to do earlier.

 _'I should've called her after I arrived here, see if I could contact her'._ He said, thinking of the person he cared about. His shoulders slumped as he recalled the memory.

 _He was in his quarters after returning from the Third Battle of Mygeeto. He was tired from his long walk out to the city where he went to his 'favorite' tattoo shop to get the numbers of the fallen on my back._

 _"How many?" A soft voice asked from beside him. He turned to the holoprojector to see a glowing translucent form of a tall slender alien. She was very skinny with pale skin. Her long slender neck was unadorned with her large head sitting atop of it. Large eyes that were mostly black with blue pupils looked at him. A white-colored top covered her chest allt he way down to her small torso. A long skirt covered her legs. Some kind of rope hung around her head with a short braid. Her skin was hairless. He could tell she was female because of her voice and her small breasts._

 _Her eyes looked at him as she folded her hands. They spoke of concern and something passionate._

 _"Twenty-five, a whole platoon." He answered, looking at her. She sighed as she shook her head._

 _"At this rate, your entire back must be covered." She said, looking up at him._

 _"Yeah," he said._

 _"How's your uncle and your family?" He asked._

 _"They're fine. I overheard that we're starting to get new genetic templates." She told him. He looked at her curiously._

 _"Let me put this to you in something that you understand: do you remember Jango Fett?" She asked. His eyes closed angrily._

 _"I'm sorry for reminding you of this, but I have to explain this in terms you can understand, my heart." She said, her eyes looking at him worried._

 _"Of course, I remember Jango Fett. He was a terrible father, but his clones are the best men the Republic's ever known." He said. He then realized what she was saying._

 _"You're saying that you found new genetic donors?" He asked, leaning forward. She nodded._

 _He sighed._

 _"The genetic samples that the bounty hunter gave us have been decaying. We need more genetic material." She said._

 _"Obviously, I can't do anything on my end, because I"m a padawan." He told her._

 _The alien woman grinned._

 _"And I can't do anything because I'm just a lowly research assistant, though I'm the Prime Minister's niece." She retorted. He looked at her lovingly and then stopped as he sighed.  
_

 _"I sense what you're going to ask me. The answer is and has always been 'no'." He said. Her smile fell._

 _"You've given three years of your life to this war, Artyr. Reports and rumors of your actions have reached everywhere, and I literally mean everywhere. I overheard my uncle talking to the Supreme Chancellor about you." She said, rubbing her hands._

 _"My uncle made the suggestion that you could possibly be the ultimate replacement, or even something else." She said._

 _He looked at her._

 _"Don't ever let your uncle hear you say that," He warned._

 _"I don't want you to get into trouble. I'm already the black sheep of the Jedi... along with Master Skywalker."_

 _"Then leave! Come to Kamino!" She pleaded._

 _"The order raised me since birth, Lira." He explained._

 _"I can't just abandon them at the drop of a hat. I'm not even supposed to be in a relationship with you!" He argued._

 _"I didn't expect to fall in love, either, Artyr. But it is how it is." She pointed out._

 _"If your uncle and the Council find out, not only am I getting kicked out: we're both going to die." Artyr warned._

 _Lira scoffed._

 _"Oh, please. My uncle is not the kind of person that would kill a Jedi for being in love with his niece."_

 _"No, but he is the prime minister of your homeworld, which produces our soldiers, and he's also in contact with the Supreme Chancellor. Our relationship here could cause a major diplomatic and interstellar incident, not to mention the scandal!"_

 _"Well," she said, rubbing her neck. She then looked at him with a sultry look._

 _"At least, we'll have eachother, my love." She said. He sighed, shaking his head._

 _"You're the strangest girl I've ever kissed," He said, smiling at her._

 _"I'm the only girl you've ever kissed" She said._

 _His com-link beeped._

 _"Ah, shi-" He started to say and then looked at Lira._

 _"Shoot," He corrected himself._

 _"I'll contact you later," He said._

 _"I can't wait for the day when we can finally be together," She said, looking up at him smiling._

 _He smiled._

 _"Me too... after I have a few years in as a Jedi Knight." He told her. She sighed in frustration. He winced. Bad thing to say, Art._

"I said 'we're here'." The driver said, loudly. Artyr looked up to see that the car had stopped. From what it appeared, they were out in the country-side. The car was parked in front of a two story house. He saw that Ruby had run up to a girl taller than her, about eighteen, and from the lighting of the moon and the house, she had long blonde hair that reached down her back. She was dressed in a tight-fitting tan sleeveless top and pajama pants that fit her form.

Artyr got out of the car as the officer did. The officer popped the trunk and everything Artyr had was in a large pack.

"Some funny-looking armor, you've got there, kid." The officer told him as Artyr inspected the pack to see if everything was there.

"A friend gave it to me," he said.

"Must have a lot of value," The officer commented.

"Priceless," Artyr told him.

He took the pack out, satisfied that his blaster rifle, sidearm, combat knife, and everything else he had brought with him. Hefting it over his shoulder, he walked over to the house as a middle-aged man came out of the house. He was fit for his age, with blonde hair that was graying and blue eyes. He stood a little taller than his older daughter.

"Ruby!" Ruby and her sister's father said, hugging his younger daughter.

The older daughter turned and looked at him, smiling seductively.

"Hey there, handsome." She purred, eyeing him seductively. He simply bowed his head.

His eye twitched. Great, now _both_ of the guy's daughters liked him.

"Hey, Dad." Ruby said, hugging him.

"I am so glad that you're okay," Her father said, worried, looking at her as he held her shoulders. He then looked over to see the Jedi.

"Is that the guy that saved you?" He asked, pointing.

"I was fine, Dad." Ruby said, annoyed.

"Artyr Sym, sir. I'm with the Jedi Knights." The Jedi said, bowing respectfully.

"Taiyang Xiao Long, I'm a professor at Signal Academy." Taiyang said, bowing back.

"I'm Yang, Ruby's sister." Yang said, extending her hand. The Jedi awkwardly shook it.

"Have you had anything to eat?"

"No, not since-" Artyr started to say. He hadn't eaten anything since downing that bowl of stew in the Jedi Temple cafeteria that morning.

"Not for awhile," He finally said.

"You both must be hungry, good thing that I made dinner," Taiyang said.

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"You'll see," her father said, smiling. The four walked into the house.

"Where would you like me to put my stuff, sir?" Artyr asked as he stepped into the house. It looked very nice. There was a living room with pictures on a stairway leading upstairs. It looked great for a primitive dwelling.

"Set it over by the couch. Now, I want all three of you to wash your hands: soap _and_ water." Taiyang ordered.

"Yes, sir." Artyr said.

"Yes, Dad." The girls said as Taiyang set the table. The girls went to the bathroom. While, he waited, Artyr inspected the photos. They weren't holographic like the modern galaxy. Instead, they appeared to be made of some kind of plastic or paper.

In one photo, it showed a younger Taiyang with a woman with red hair like Ruby's. She also had Ruby's silver eyes and wore a white hooded cloak. The two parents held a much younger Yang and a baby Ruby. Artyr frowned, noticing very significant differences in Yang and Ruby's traits. He frowned.

Yang had violet eyes, whereas Taiyang did not. Ruby had silver eyes and red hair like her father. Something was odd here, very odd.

He looked at the girls as they walked out and then went to the bathroom. He inspected himself. He smelled like garbage, he knew. Not only that, but his face was covered in a bit of sweat. He was starting to have eyebags.

"By the Force, I look so tired." He told himself. He sighed. Just a mere six or more hours ago, he was on Arthuron... now, he was in an unknown part of the galaxy on a world populated by humans and evil creatures that were possibly created by the dark side of the Force. He had tried his holocommunicator earlier but it didn't get through to anyone.

He had no idea of what was going on back home or in the galaxy at large. And the communications here were practically Stone Age! He was far from friends, his beloved troops, the Order, the Republic... everything.

He washed his face, then drying it with a towel. He then exited the bathroom to see the family of three seated at the table.

'If that picture is right... then there should be a mother. Where is she? Is she out at work?' He thought as he walked to the table. The smell of the food was wonderful, but also strange. The dishes reminded him of things from back home.

He saw that one dish appeared to be a mixture of vegetables and some kind of animal that he didn't know. The meat was white when cooked, along with pieces of brown meat. Another dish consisted of white rice, with another consisting of what appeared to be a fried meat that was breaded with some kind of orange sauce covering it. Artyr sat down at the opposite end of the table, not wanting to feel Taiyang's wrath of sitting next to either of his daughters.

"Artyr, do you have any uh," Taiyang paused as the daughters bowed their heads.

" Jedi meal blessings?" Artyr finished for him. Taiyang nodded.

"Yeah, that." Taiyang said, rubbing the back of his head.

"The Force isn't something that you pray to... I mean, the Jedi Council interprets the will of the Force, yes, for certain religions... but that's it." Artyr said.

"'The Force'?" Taiyang and Yang asked, simultaneously.

"It's what gives him his powers," Ruby explained. So, of course, Artyr had to explain what the Force was to the rest of Ruby's family.

"Huh, that sounds... pretty deep, but also cool." Yang said.

"Yeah, it sure does." Taiyang said, nodding as if he remembered something. Artyr found that curious the way he said that.

"How about you do the blessing, Mr. Xiao Long? This _is_ your house." Artyr said, gesturing to him.

He bowed his head as well.

"Dear Gods, we thank you for helping us out today with work, training, and school. We would also like to thank you for keeping all of us safe, especially Ruby." Taiyang prayed aloud.

Artyr wanted to ask about the local religion. Who were these 'gods'?

"Please, bless this meal that it may strengthen us. Amen." Taiyang said.

"Amen," Artyr echoed along with the daughters.

Then, they started eating.

The family used chopsticks to pick and eat their food.

"Do all people use chopsticks on this world?"

"No, people in Vale and Atlas usually use forks, knives, and spoons along with Vacuo. Mystral as well, I believe." He said.

"So, the city I was in-" Artyr said.

"Not a city, a kingdom. There are four on this planet: the four I just mentioned." Taiyang said.

Artyr looked at him in curiosity.

"This world isn't united?" He asked. A lot of worlds weren't united he knew. Some worlds were divided into clans and kingdoms. But usually, more advanced worlds were united under a monarch.

"No, not by a long shot!" Taiyang laughed.

"Well, we've been at peace for about a century now." Yang explained.

"So, war did happen here?" Artyr asked, curiously.

"Yeah, that war ended with the Treaty of Vytal Island. Every year is the Vytal Festival that celebrates the diversity and peace of the world." Taiyang explained before downing some rice.

He couldn't believe the cruel irony of this.

"Artyr told me the galaxy's at war," Ruby blurted. Taiyang nearly choked on his rice. Yang helped her father by patting his back.

"What?" He asked, looking up. He looked genuinely surprised.

"The nation that my order fights for, the Galactic Republic, has been at war for nearly three years now. The Separatist Alliance, our enemy, started the war by nearly executing two Jedi and a Senator in an arena on the planet Geonosis." Artyr said, the memories coming back. He gripped the chopsticks he was holding tightly as the memories came back of the arena and the battle afterward.

He remembered the screams and shouts of battle, sounds of blaster, tank, and artillery fire, the smell of charred meat and burnt metal, ships taking off into the sky only to be shot down, troopers and clankers falling in battle by the hundreds to thousands.

 _'One of those Jedi was a stupid Anakin Skywalker who brought the Senator along to save his master... only for me to lose mine, that foolish prick!'_ He thought, the old feelings of anger at his adopted sister's master.

He then felt something snap in his fingers and looked to see that he had broken the chopsticks.

All three family members looked at him, worried.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." He apologized.

"No, no. It's okay." Taiyang said, rising up.

"I'll get you another," He said as he walked. The girls looked at him, worried.

"I'm fine," He told them.

"You must've fought a lot of battles," Ruby said in awe.

"Yeah," He said, simply as he looked at his plate. Taiyang gave him another pair of chopsticks.

The Jedi took it, thanking him.

"So, you're from outer space, right? Are you like, an alien?" Yang asked, curious.

"I was born off-world, yes. For ten years I was raised in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the Republic's capital world. My parents gave me away, only Master Yoda knows who they are and the details of it all."

"They just gave you away? Just like that?" Taiyang asked in disbelief.

"Out there, if a child is discovered to be force-sensitive, the Order has no choice but to take the child into its care. The reasoning behind it is that the child's powers can be used for... less noble ends." Artyr said.

"Like the 'Sith' that you mentioned back in the car, right?" Ruby asked.

"The 'Sith'?" The father and sister asked.

"They're what one would call 'Dark-siders'. They use the dark side of the Force, giving into their base desires of conquest, murder, intrigue and other such things." Artyr said.

"Right now, we only know of two Sith along with several dark Jedi."

"Hold on, I thought you said Sith were the bad 'Force users'... aren't they the 'Dark Jedi'?" Ruby asked.

"You're correct, Sith are technically 'Dark Jedi'... but some dark Jedi do not follow the Sith though they do use the dark side of the force."

"Up until a thousand years ago, there were many Sith, led by Sith Lords who vied for power and control over the galaxy and each other." Artyr said, giving a history lesson.

"If memory serves, they did have one or two empires lying around that lasted for a bit, then they fell apart or got overrun by the Republic. There was a battle more than a thousand years ago on the Sith homeworld..." He grunted.

"Sh-" He started to say then, he looked at Ruby, realizing what he was about to say.

"Shoot," he corrected himself.

"Good save," Yang said.

"As I was saying, I completely forgot which world was the Sith homeworld: Mysten or something like that or another world called Korriban. I can't remember which." He said.

"I used to know this kind of thing as galactic history, especially history relating to our Order's battles with the Sith were my forte." He said, gesturing at his confusion.

"Must've spent too much time in the field," He muttered.

"Anyhoo," He continued.

"The Sith were almost wiped out to a man, partially because during that battle, they nearly killed eachother while the Republic fought them. Supposedly they all were killed. Then, rumors spread of a Sith that survived the battle, one called 'Darth Bane."

"The 'bane' of our existence," Yang joked, smiling. The other three looked at her.

"Darth Bane isn't a name I'd laugh at, considering his reputation as a Sith." Artyr told her.

"According to legend, he instituted a rule of two so that the Sith would survive and create a plot to destroy the Jedi." Artyr explained.

"As I said, we know of one Sith: Count Dooku, a former member of the Order. He left after an incident in which a Jedi-led task force resulted in civilian deaths, I believe, if I heard it right." He said.

"He was also Master Qui Gon-Jinn's old master, and Yoda's apprentice, if you also believe the rumors." He said.

"Who's Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda?"

"Yoda's the wisest of all the Masters at the Temple. He trains the younglings until they're ready. He used to train padawans, but that was when he was younger. Qui Gon-Jinn was Dooku's old apprentice."

"Is Yoda an alien?" Taiyang asked. Artyr smiled as he nodded.

"You want to know what race he is?" He asked. Ruby nodded.

"You _really_ want to know?" He asked, leaning in closer. Everyone leaned in to hear the answer. The Jedi then grinned as he revealed the truth.

"The truth is: none of us know just what race Master Yoda is!" He announced, then banged his fist on the table as he laughed. The family glared at him.

"You asshole! You were pulling our legs!" Ruby shouted, pointing at him. Artyr stopped laughing and looked at Ruby in shock at the language she spoke.

"Ruby!" Taiyang scolded.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to do a little joke." He apologized, raising a hand as Yang grinned.

"That was a good one, though." She said.

"So, yeah: we don't even know what Master Yoda is." Artyr said.

"Well, are you an alien? You obviously look human." Yang asked. Artyr looked at her.

"I'm not talking about that," He said, shaking his head and crossing his arms. The girls leaned forward, looking at him.

"You're an alien?" Ruby asked, wide-eyed.

"Girls, if he doesn't want to talk about it. He doesn't want to talk about it." Taiyang said, looking at both of them.

"Oh, okay." Ruby said.

After that, it was a rather uneventful meal. Ruby volunteered to help her father clean the dishes, to which he agreed.

Yang and Artyr sat at the table.

"Seriously, thanks for saving my sister." Yang said, smiling at him. Artyr simply nodded and hoped to the Force he wasn't blushing.

"I didn't need saving!" Ruby called from the kitchen.

"For the record, those guys threatened to shoot you. I simply stood in front of them and deflected all the shots with my saber!" Aartyr told her from the dining room.

"I would've dodged out of the way!" Ruby argued from the kitchen.

"Are you two seriously acting like an old married couple?" Yang teased.

"Jedi can't date or marry," Artyr told her. He heard a dish drop to the floor followed by a scolding from her father as Yang gave him a look.

"What?" She asked in disbelief.

"Jedi can't date or marry. No personal attachments, that's a rule in our order."

"So, you're all basically space monk-knights?" Yang asked. Artyr thought about the comparison.

"We do meditate, yes. Study? Yep... fight, of course. But we're also diplomats as well." Artyr explained.

"It must get pretty lonely being celibate," Yang said, moving her arm to his as she looked at him seductively.

 _'Lira would have my balls in a vise if she ever knew about this... and everyone on the Council will flay me alive if they ever found out'._

Artyr's face burned red as he moved his arm away.

"C'mon, I'm sure that rule's been broken!" Yang said, continuing as if nothing had happened.

"That results in the following, Yang: Occasionally a kid's born, the guy gets kicked out of the Order and his saber is taken away from him." Artyr counted with his fingers.

"Jedi can have kids?" She asked, tilting her head.

Artyr sighed.

"A really long time ago, there used to be Jedi families, some going on for quite a few or many generations... but that was a long time ago. The Order reinstituted the old disciplines." Artyr explained.

"So, Jedi can't date or y'know..." Yang said, gesturing. Artyr looked at her in shock as she gestured. The old memory of Master Securra and Master Fisto's rather intimate moments coming back to haunt him. His eye twitched as he made a face.

"Yang! You better not be hassling the Jedi!" Taiyang called from the kitchen.

"I'm only teasing him!" She called back. She looked back at him.

"You did it, didn't you?" She whispered, grinning.

"I'm not talking about it! Especially when your kid sister's in the other room along with your Dad!" Artyr hissed.

"So, you _did_ do it!" She whispered, satisfied.

"No! Force no!" He whispered.

"If I did that, I'd lose my lightsaber! And I love using my lightsaber!" He said, holding the saber's hilt up.

Taiyang then walked into the room.

"Everything okay?" The father asked, looking in.

"Yes, sir!" Yang and Artyr said, simultaneously putting on fake smiles.

"What's that?" Yang asked, pointing at the hilt.

"That's my 'saber," Artyr said.

"I'm sure you have a pretty big-" Yang started to say.

 _"Yang!"_ The two men warned.

"What? I'm just joking." Taiyang shook his head at his daughter's antics.

"How does that thing work?" The father asked. Artyr smiled.

"Hold on, I need some room." He said, standing up. He then went to the living room as Yang and her father watched. He went into a combat stance and activated his lightsaber. The blade shot up like a lightning bolt.

Taiyang and Yang stared at it in awe.

"This blade can cut through almost anything because of how high a temperature it can reach. I've used it to deflect blaster fire, cut through metal, even take down clankers."

"Ever killed people with that thing?" Yang asked. Artyr nervously chuckled as he deactivated.

"I'd rather not talk about it," He said, remembering all the times that he outright killed organic Separatist foes along with Trandoshan slavers and other such things. The Order clearly taught that one should use the lightsaber as a last resort in battle.

Taiyang had a look that clearly said 'Just what the hell did my daughter bring home', while Yang clearly had a grinning expression... which made Artyr want to shudder.

Then, for some reason (he didn't know why), Artyr looked at Yang's arms. He then felt a searing pain rip through his skull as he grunted, clutching his head.

 _Some place was burning as a man in a black robe stood over a girl with cat ears, she wore a white sort of jacket over a white top. She struggled in pain as the man stabbed her. Artyr noticed he had some kind of white mask on his face and he wielded a red-bladed sword._

 _He saw Yang stand outside a broken window, watching. She was armed with twin yellow gauntlets. She wore a brown jacket and some top. A sort of half-skirt covered her rear as she wore boots._

 _"Get away from her!" Yang roared. She then made a stance and some kind of aura surrounded her as her eyes turned red. She leapt as she charged at the man._

 _The man sliced off Yang's arm and she fell, passed out from losing her limb as it fell with the gauntlet still on it._

He looked up in horror back at Yang's arm to see if it was still there. Yang and her father looked at him worried.

"Whoa, you okay there, Art?" Yang asked, walking over to him. He looked at the limb that was cut off in his vision. It was still attached, still moving. She was fine.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said, rubbing his head, the pain still echoing.

"I get these migraines... I've had them since I was a kid." He explained.

"Migraines, huh?" Taiyang said.

"There's some Tylenol in the bathroom if you need it unless..." Taiyang pursed his lips.

"Can you read English?"

"I can read Basic, Mandalorian, Hutteese, and a bunch of other languages." Artyr explained.

"Yang, go with him, make sure he doesn't take the wrong bottle." Taiyang ordered.

"Sure," Yang said. The two youngsters walked into the liquor cabinet.

"You okay? You look like you had a panic attack or something." She whispered as she opened the mirror that held the medicine. There were rows of bottles of what he could assume was medicine written in a language he didn't recognize. There were also razors and feminine products as well.

"You looked at me kinda' funny..." She grinned seductively.

"You risking coming onto me?" She asked.

"I wouldn't dream of it," He told her as she handed him the bottle. He opened the bottle by twisting it open.

"I shouldn't be surprised that you don't have bacta," Artyr stated.

"What's bacta?" She asked.

"Healing fluid, heals the wounds, though it can take a bit of time. Sometimes, if some wounds are so severe, you have to be dumped into a whole tank of it with a breathing mask." He answered. She looked at him weirded out.

"You people sound insane," She said, shaking her head and as he was about to take several, she stopped him.

"One, we don't want you getting an overdose." She said.

Artyr smiled as he shrugged before popping a pill.

"Listen, thanks again for saving my sister... really." Yang said, smiling. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"But, if you touch her or knock her up, or do anything that hurts her." She started to threaten while still smiling. She gripped it tightly. He started to feel pain and winced. She leaned close as she whispered in his ear.

"I will _fucking_ end you," She hissed.

"Got it," he said, getting the message.

"Great!" She said, smiling as she let go. They then walked out of the restroom.

"So, where should I sleep?" Artyr asked.

"You can sleep on the couch. Want me to get some blankets for you?" Taiyang asked from across the room.

"No, I'll be fine." He yawned.

"I'm pretty bushed. It's been a long day." He said.

"Yeah," Yang said, stretching.

"Well, I'm going to bed." She said, going up the stairs.

Artyr then realized something.

"Mr. Xiao Long... how do you become a hunter?" He asked.

Taiyang then started to explain.

"If a person wants to be a huntsman or huntress, they have to do what's called a 'combat school' places like Signal Academy where I teach along with my brother-in-law."

'Brother-in-law?' Artyr thought. Ruby didn't mention her uncle back in the car.

"You have to go through four years, making your weapon, training with it, that sort of thing. After that, you apply to one of the four Huntsmen academies scattered throughout the world, places like Beacon, Atlas Academy, Haven Academy, and Shadow Academy." Taiyang explained.

"You have to go there and study for four years, do routine training missions, learn to work with a team, among other things." He said.

"A comparison to me would be after our training with Master Yoda and similar instructions, we're paired up with a Jedi Knight or Jedi Master for the next say, ten years or more for our training to become knights. The pairs often do missions together across the galaxy."

Artyr sighed.

"Now, we don't just do missions... we now command armies and fleets." Artyr said.

"You guys command whole armies?" Taiyang asked, raising an eyebrow as he crossed his arms.

The Jedi nodded.

"It's something we've had to deal with now," He said.

"Well, I'm going to do the dishes, since it's real late and you three have a big day tomorrow." Taiyang said.

"I'm going to check in for the night, see if I can get some sleep." Artyr said, going to the couch.

"Hey, Artyr... it is Artyr, right?" The Xiao Long patriarch asked as Artyr sat on the couch, taking off his boots.

"Yeah?" He asked looking up as Taiyang stood right in front of him.

The father of two then grabbed the Padawan by the collar of his tunic, lifting him up as he stared into the young man's eyes.

"I have two very beautiful daughters. I know what Yang did... and quite frankly, I know she's teasing. But-" He said, stating but.

"If you so much as touch either one of my girls, date them without permission, and other sex-related shit." The father said, continuing. He got right into his face as he glared.

"I will fucking shove that lightsaber of yours up your ass... _blade first_." The man threatened.

 _'Looks like something came back to bite me in the ass already,'_ The Padawan thought.

"Yes, sir." Taiyang dropped him.

"Good! Have a good night!" Taiyang called as Artyr watched him.

 _'Note to self: don't ever get romantically involved with either one of the sisters'_ Artyr thought as well.

He then laid down to rest and closed his eyes, dead-tired.


	9. Chapter 9: Who Is This Guy?

Chapter 9

 _(A/N: I should've told you all earlier: I'm adding in some Original Characters whose stories I'll tell later on. But, they are from the following franchises: Halo, Mass Effect, and Naruto. Also, let me know how I'm doing in the reviews. They're much appreciated!)_

A young woman in a red dress with yellow eyes and black hair that reached down to her back walked from the streets to the warehouse district. Men with either animal ears and tails as well as claws were loading dust into a certain warehouse, the foreman and other usual workers either bought off or killed to be silenced.

She shook her head at the sheer absurdity of tonight's events.

Roman Torchwick got himself arrested _again_ after he failed to rob that store. If it hadn't been for that huntsman, they would've gotten at the very least a sizeable haul for the upcoming operation.

She sighed as she looked up at the moon. At the very least, they had gotten much of what they needed from other robberies.. She looked at the workers with their uniforms on. They wore what appeared to be Grim masks with black hoods. And their silver jackets had the snarling wolf's head turned sideways with three claw marks over it. The symbol of the White Fang.

It had taken a bit of convincing to get a White Fang leading member, Adam Taurus, to her side... or at least, partially to her side as they made the deal with Torchwick in the first place. And Torchwick was, in essence, her go-to guy for getting as much dust as they needed. So, now, she would have to bail him out _again_. What would it cost this time? She wondered.

Along the way back, she tried to analyze the man who was definitely telekinetic. She would have to find copies of the security cameras from the store and the surrounding streets to find out what actually happened. He seemed tall from the distance that she was at. He wore some kind of bulky combat armor that was white or gray. He was wielding that strange sword that lit up and was apparently so hot that it cut through the tail section of the bullhead she commandeered like a hot knife through butter.

Heavy combat armor, most likely a huntsman of some kind. Though, what academy he graduated from or not was a question that would be answered for another time. He could've been Atlas Special Operations, he had the look.

Thankfully, he had been dallying with that girl before investigating the wreckage, allowing her to escape. She had to walk all the way back here. With her gifts, she easily frightened the would-be muggers with a show of power. Though she was beautiful, she was also deadly like a black widow.

Still, they were going to need as much dust as they could get their hands on. The setbacks though, she inwardly sighed, were making her superior grow a tad bit short on patience, along with herself.

She walked into the warehouse as a few of the workers, looked at her. She glared at them with her eyes, making them look away.

She walked to a particular area of the warehouse where a group of crates were.

Two figures were hanging out.

One was a green-haired black girl with chocolate-covered skin. Her mid-riff was exposed thanks to a white tap that exposed her cleavage. She also wore shorts that exposed her thighs as she wore boots that came up half-way to her shins. She had twin weapons that functioned as both pistols and scythes strapped to her lower back.

The other person was a taller slim and slender young man with gray hair, though he was pretty young. He was handsome, but also deadly. All three of them were deadly in their own right. His legs when they moved sounded like they whirred or clanked. They looked up. Emerald smiled.

"Hey, Cinder. How'd your night go?" She asked, happily. Cinder's expression told her everything.

"Oh," She said, her face becoming concerned as did the man's expression.

"Torchwick got arrested again. I want you to come up with the bail money for him." She ordered.

"Again?!" The man exclaimed annoyed.

"Last time we nearly got arrested for-" Cinder looked at him with her yellow eyes, telling him to shut up.

"Right," He said, nodding, trying not to show his fear. Cinder looked at

"Em, I want you to poke around the 'Net... see if you can find anything on a certain individual." Cinder said before describing him.

Emerald blinked and their male friend tilted his head as she described what happened earlier.

"Sounds like a challenge," The man said, thinking with a smile.

"Maybe," Cinder said, nodding. She was thinking about contacting her superior on this.

"Something wrong, ma'am?" Emerald asked.

"No," Cinder lied. She had a strong feeling that things were changing somehow. It was like what was supposed to happen was going to be altered in ways she didn't know.

"I'll leave you to it," Cinder said, leaving them.

Just as she turned, she saw a young woman stand right in front of her. The girl had her hair neat and short. However, it, like her eyes, were different colors split in half like Neapolitan ice cream. Funny, as her name was 'Neo'.

Her eyes asked for answers as she spoke in sign language.

 _'I saw you come back. Where's Roman?'_

"I'm afraid Roman's gone back to jail... again." Cinder said the last part with annoyance. Neo closed her eyes in anger and gritted her teeth.

"We'll come up with the bail money and get him out. We still have a deal, just so you know." Cinder assured her.

Neo sighed and nodded.

 _Sure._ The mute signed and walked off.

Cinder yet again wondered if the two were still business partners... or something a lot more intimate. Could be useful blackmail material, she thought. She then went up to her billeted room and pulled out her scroll. She dialed a number and called someone.

"Girl, I have no time to talk to you right now. I'm in the middle of something." An older, cultured voice said angrily.

"Watts, something strange happened tonight," She said. She then explained the robbery, along with the progress of the operation they were working on as well, and then explained what had happened. The man was silent for a good minute.

"Watts?" She asked. This wasn't like him. Usually, when he spoke to her it was condescending and arrogant, though the man was pretty much a technical genius. Which was the reason why he had been brought in.

"Cinder," The man began slowly.

"I think you should get back to the castle... right now. Leave your posse in Vale and come right here. Right now." Watts said, trying to hide something.

"Watts, this isn't like you. What's going on?" She asked.

Watts paused and it sounded like he whispered 'she has no fucking clue'.

"Cinder, I think you're going to be in over your head unless you get back home, right now." Watts said.

"I'll get the others. You're going to tell all of us what happened exactly and truthfully. She's going to want to know this. It's that damned important." Watts told her. Cinder blinked. He sounded scared. Since when the hell was he ever scared of anything besides their leader?

"Now, get right back here. Tell your posse you're going to be gone, but you'll be back." Watts ordered. Cinder looked at the scroll.

"Of course. I'm on my way." She said, nodding. She then turned it off. She looked up and blinked.

"Who the hell is this guy?" She asked.


	10. Chapter 10: Promise

Chapter 10

(A/N: Sorry for getting the names wrong)

 _He dreamed of a complex burning in the night. It had a broken clock tower of some sort in the distance. Black, nightmarish creatures ran amok, killing and eating people. They ranged from winged bird-looking things to other more fearsome animals. He saw Ozpin battling a young woman with yellow eyes in the darkness, a brown-skinned girl that had red aura coming from her eyes, another girl wearing armor was shot in the heart and she collapsed on her knees, her face one of shock._

 _He then saw the yellow-eyed girl walk up to her in the moonlight. She wore a red dress with what appeared to be slippers on either side of her cut above her chest. She taunted the other girl as she died. She then put her hand on the girl's forehead. A red flash occurred and the red haired girl with the pony tail was turned to ash._

 _Yang fought the red-haired man with the mask and lost her arm as she charged at him while he attacked a helpless girl with a black bow on her head._

 _He saw many other horrible things: an old man getting eaten by some kind of jellyfish-looking monstrosity, the pale woman smiling, villages turned to rubble and open-aired graves, betrayal of leaders from their followers, treachery between siblings, death, and corruption._

He awoke with a start, sweating. Ruby stood next to him wearing her dress. She had a worried look on her face.

"Are you okay, Art? You looked like you were having a nightmare." She asked, worried.

"I'm fine, Ruby." Artyr assured her, sitting up as she made room for him. He sighed.

"What time is it?"

"Uh, it's about seven in the morning. Dad's going to drop us off at the airship." Ruby explained, jerking her thumb at the door.

He got off of the couch and stretched before putting on his boots.

"You sounded really bad while you were sleeping," Ruby said, a bit worried. Artyr looked at her after putting them on and put his pack on. It felt a bit heavy, nothing some physical training wouldn't help ease the burden of.

"Ruby, I swear, you are way too darn young to be my mother." Artyr said, shaking his head. She punched him in the shoulder.

"I'm serious! You sounded like you were scared of something!" She said, seriously. Okay, why in the galaxy did he think she looked kind of cute when she was angry? Why? Just why?

"I've had nightmares and migraines since I was like, five years old, Ruby. I've dealt with them." He told her.

"Where's Yang and your Dad?" Artyr asked, noticing the silence of the house. Ruby jerked a thumb outside.

"Packing the car," She answered.

"Well, might as well put my crap in there, too." Artyr said.

"Can I see how much it weighs?" She asked. He gave it to her. His eyes widened as he stood there in shock.

"Are you kidding me?" He whispered, shaking his head.

"Huh, doesn't feel _that_ heavy." Ruby commented.

"Just how heavy's your scythe?" He asked.

"Crescent Rose," Ruby corrected.

"What?" He asked.

"Here on Remnant, Huntsmen and huntresses name their weapons. My scythe's name is Crimson Rose. Yang's gauntlets are called Ember Celica." Ruby explained.

"So, suppose I were to name my lightsaber: 'Dooku's Bane, The Cutter of Hands, Legs, And Other Assorted Limbs'" Artyr suggested. Ruby looked at him, shaking her head.

"That's a long-ass name," She told him.

"Fine, I'll come up with a name for my blasters and my saber."

"What about 'Emerald Blade'?" Ruby suggested as they walked towards the door.

"Nah, I want the name to be feared by foes. Something like say uh..." Artyr said, thinking as he walked to the family's car.

"What about 'Every Sith's Worst Nightmare'?" He asked.

"'Every Sith's Worst Nightmare'?" Ruby asked in disbelief.

"Fine, I'll call it 'Butt Burner." Taiyang and Yang looked up from their work at the mention of that name.

"You're calling what what?" Taiyang asked, wondering what was going on.

"We're coming up with names for Artyr's lightsaber," Ruby explained.

"And one of those was what 'burner?'" The father asked.

"Butt Burner," Artyr answered.

The father looked at him with a worried look.

"'Butt Burner?!'" Yang laughed out loud.

"I'll tell you about the reason behind the name later on," Artyr told her. Taiyang grunted. After Artyr put his stuff in the car.

"What about- what did you call it- your 'blaster'?" Taiyang asked as they got into the car, all packed up. He started the car and then they drove.

"It's a standard-issue DC-17m blaster rifle, issued to Republic Commandos and suitable for any modifications." Artyr explained.

"Wait... Republic Commandos are like, Special Forces, right? For the Republic?" Yang asked.

"Yeah," The Jedi said, nodding.

"So, Jedi can use any kind of weapon, right?" She asked,

"It's preferred that we use our lightsabers, though I'm one of the few exceptions. I've had my hand on firing sniper rifles, rocket launchers, heavy blasters, turrets, cannons. that sort of thing."

"So, you're more of a shooter, kind of guy?" Yang asked.

"What can I say? Master Quinlan Vos made quite the impression on me at a certain age." Artyr said.

"Was he your teacher?"

"More like a tutor than a teacher. My first master was Bellophoron." Artyr explained.

"That's a funny name," Ruby commented as the car drove through the forest around their house, going through the town outside of Vale.

"After I trained with Master Yoda, Master Bell picked me as his apprentice. Of course, I wanted to learn a wide variety of stuff. So, I went to Master Windu for Force-augmented martial arts."

"'Force-augmented martial arts'... like Force-enhanced Close quarters combat?" Taiyang asked.

"Correct, the key is to concentrate on having the Force augment the speed and physical and kinetic force of your blows along with your kicks. Another thing is to anticipate the enemy's next move with the Force." The Jedi explained.

"Sounds pretty cool. I'll try using that,"

"Maybe you can, maybe you can't. I've yet to see you in combat." Artyr pointed out.

"Well, my semblance is that the more I'm hit, the stronger I get." Yang said.

"My semblance is speed,"

Artyr looked at Taiyang.

"What's your semblance, Mr. Xiao Long?" Artyr asked.

"I'm not saying," Xiao Long said. Artyr could practically hear him smile.

"What?" Artyr asked in disbelief.

"Your kids have a semblance... and you won't say what yours is?" Artyr asked.

"Jealous?" The father asked.

"It better be cool. All I'm saying." Artyr said.

"Oh, it's cool alright." Taiyang said, grinning.

"Well, it's probably not as cool as my-" He paused at what he was about to say. Ah, shit. Cat nearly went out the bag.

"Not as cool as your what?" Taiyang asked, warily.

"Not as cool as my grenade launcher mod on my rifle," He quickly corrected himself.

"back home in a locker," He added. The two girls looked at him.

 _'Please tell me that's a nice save! Please tell me it's a nice save!'_

"Tch, here on this world, you'll need a lot more than just a grenade launcher mod on a weapon." Taiyang said, eyeing him suspiciously through the rearview mirror. Artyr tried not to gulp.

"So, do they have schools on the planet you were raised?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, public education. I hear the students hate it." Artyr said.

"Yep, sounds pretty much boring and the same everywhere else around the universe." Yang said, sighing.

"Hey, so who else taught you besides all those Jedi Masters?" Taiyang asked.

Artyr grinned.

"Some good friends of mine in the Grand Army of the Republic taught me how to fire and field-strip a weapon after the Battle of Geonosis. I used some blaster rifles back on Geonosis, but I didn't know how to reload them so I used them as clubs."

"You used rifles as clubs... how in the hell are you not dead?" Yang asked, curiously.

"What can I say? The Force was with me," Artyr said, smiling. But what he also wanted to say was 'But the Force wasn't with others,'

"We're coming up at the docks," Taiyang announced.

They parked in a lot and got out their stuff, heading to a waiting airship.

"Huh, that's quite an advanced design... kind of reminds me of some of the things we have back home." Artyr said, smiling as he admired the design of it. Kids around Yang's age or older boarded the airship with their things. He turned to see families hugging their children goodbye as they went off to train and study to be this world's guardians.

His eyes started to get watery as he recalled his last moments on Coruscant with Ahsoka, his last call with Lira, and everyone back home. He missed them all so much now... and it wasn't even a full twenty-four hours!

"Hey, you okay?" Taiyang asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, Mr. Xiao Long." The Jedi said, turning to the older man.

"You left people behind... didn't you? When you left?" He asked, softly.

"My adopted kid sister, all my tutors, my fellow Jedi, my room, my Temple... and then... on Arthuron: I left behind my team and my master." He said.

"Arthuron?" Taiyang asked.

"That was the world that I was on before I came here... where I discovered that.." Rage began to fill his heart.

"That god-damned _thing_ ," He spat the last word out as his hands balled into fists.

"I'm sure everyone back home misses you too, Art." Taiyang assured him, like a father.

"Listen, I need you to do me a big favor while you're at Beacon." Taiyang requested.

"Sure," Artyr said as he nodded.

"I need you to keep an eye on my girls. They're all I've got left after..." Taiyang said, his voice drifting off.

"I saw the photo on the stairway wall in your home, Mr. Xiao Long. I'm aware that you have or rather..." Artyr paused to say. He should've known that the girls' mother had died or some other unfortunate event happened to her.

"Promise me you'll keep this to yourself?" The father asked. Artyr affirmed.

"A long time ago, I was part of Huntsman Team STRQ," The father said, pronouncing 'STRQ' as 'Strike'.

"It consisted of my second wife Summer Rose, myself, Raven Branwen, and her brother Qrow." He said.

"After awhile, Raven and I fell in love and had a child: Yang." He continued. Artyr looked at Yang as she was talking to Ruby. He looked back at the father. Artyr saw the sorrow in his eyes as he recalled the events.

"Raven and Qrow... they weren't always good people. They belonged to some bandit clan. Rather than stay and be a mother, Raven abandoned Yang to me and left to lead her people. After that, I married Summer Rose."

"We had Ruby, but both of us somewhat changed. I started becoming a teacher but had the occasional mission while Summer kept being a huntress while loving Yang as her own daughter. Then, one day... on a mission far from here... she died." He said, his eyes watering. His voice was starting to break.

"I was shut down for awhile, to use that term, but I got over it as best as I can." He said. He sniffed.

"Ruby and Yang are all I've got left of the women I've loved. Promise me that you'll take care of them." He said, gripping Artyr's shoulder tightly.

"I promise by the Force that I will take care of them like they were my sisters, Mr. Xiao Long." Artyr promised after much consideration. How could he refuse?

"Thank you," Taiyang said, smiling. Artyr hugged him. They pulled back.

"Sir, I must ask: what of Qrow Branwen?" Artyr asked as Taiyang started to walk away to hug Ruby and Yang goodbye as they carried their things. Taiyang stopped.

"Qrow's involved in both of their lives, but he goes on missions. He's also a teacher like me at Signal Academy." Taiyang explained.

"Have you heard from your first ex-wife?" The Jedi asked.

"No, I haven't heard from her in years." Taiyang admitted with a tone of bitterness like lemons in his mouth. He then changed his expression, putting on a mask of happiness. Artyr shook his head.

 _'What the hell kind of woman abandons her own child to lead a clan of bandits?'_ He wondered. And no wonder there was no fifth plate at the table. Summer had died a while ago. Most likely killed by a Grimm... or perhaps.

Artyr theorized something... what if this Salem character had something to do with Summer's death.

 _'Oh by the Force... does Salem, whomever or whatever the hell she is, know about Ruby? Would she or has she come after her?'_ Fear gripped his heart as he realized that something foul was going to occur or being planned.

Whatever Salem was planning, it wasn't good. And whatever it was, he swore that Ruby and Yang wouldn't get hurt by it. Not while he lived. He touched his back as he remembered the men that he lost on so many worlds across the galaxy. So many CT and RC numbers were on his back with one name above them all: his first master, Bellophoron.

He looked at the girls as they looked at him, urging him to board the ship with them. He smiled at them.

 _"I swear to the Force neither one of your names will ever be on my back. Ever."_ He whispered as he walked forward.


	11. Chapter 11: Welcome To Beacon

Chapter 11

 **Tronmaster: I have corrected the names earlier. Thank you for telling me what I did wrong.**

 **Sheevite: I am sorry that you hate my story. In fact, I am sorry that anyone hates my story. I had it in my head for a while and I recently started getting back into fanfiction again. In light of your criticism: I decided to make a Sith OC! I hope you or others like her. Also you can tell me what ought to be done and I shall do it to the best of my ability, though I do think I would like a little bit of creativity if I can make it possible. Still, what you say, I shall do to the best of my ability.**

 **Guest: Sorry that it's dead to you now. I personally thought of this storyline for awhile now, a few months now, in fact.**

 **A/N: Sorry if I'm getting anything wrong RWBY-wise! Bear in mind, I personally want to consider this a bit AU since there are OCs in Remnant now. Still, hope you liked that humorous bit I pulled off in Chapter 8! If it wasn't funny... oh well. Still, if anyone has any ideas on how to make it a bit funny or a bit more serious, please pm me or put it in the reviews.**

The trip from the port to Beacon wasn't that long. If anything, it was quite eventful. Yang was quite happy that Ruby was coming along. She hugged her sister. Artyr smiled as Yang gave Ruby a pep talk.

Of course, he couldn't believe what he was seeing here. There were people here with all kinds of animal ears and tails! He swore he saw someone with dragon wings earlier coming out of the ship's head. He shook his head as he reminded himself to ask about what kind of people these were. Were they genetically modified or natural occurring mutants?

A holoscreen displayed the news.

He heard someone gagging and turned to see a blonde-haired kid retching over a trash can. He sounded bad.

"There's always one onboard every ship," Artyr muttered, producing a nausea pill from his pouch. He tapped the kid on his shoulder. The kid turned around, bile drooling out of his mouth. The smell made the Jedi want to gag.

Artyr looked at him.

He had short blonde hair and blue eyes. He wasn't as tall as himself obviously. However, he was fair-cream skinned. White armor covered his chest, arms, shoulder, shins, knees and boots. He looked up at him.

Pain racked throughout his head and he grunted, staggering back.

 _The boy fell through the air, only to have his clothes be impaled by a spear that flew through the air, literally nailing him to a tree high off the ground._

 _"Thank you!" The boy cried out._

 _Later, Artyr saw the kid spar with the red-haired girl from before. They sparred in the moonlight, their faces close to eachother._

 _The scene changed to the academy burning around them with the roars of Grimm nearby. The red-haired girl walked up to the blonde-haired boy and kissed him passionately before going off somewhere._

 _He then saw the blonde-haired boy mourn the loss of his lover after he found out her fate._

Artyr groaned. Man, the visions hurt like hell.

He produced the nausea pill as he clutched his head.

"Hey, kid. Here's a nausea pill. Take it, and you'll be fine the rest of the day." Artyr said, giving the kid the pill. The kid took it and downed it without so much as a sip of water. After that, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"Thanks for that," The kid said.

"Yeah, don't mention it." Artyr said, still clutching his head as he waved his other hand.

"You okay?" The kid a

sked.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." Artyr said, dismissively.

"Holy cow, I'm feeling better already! That thing works fast!" The kid realized.

"Well, I can't give it out all the time if someone needs it: I've only got like thirty in the container." Artyr explained, the pain fading away. He stood up straight.

"So, I'm Jaune d'Arc. Rolls off the tongue, ladies love it." The kid introduced himself, extending his hand. Artyr found that particular bout of self-selling a bit much.

"Artyr Sym," Artyr said, shaking it.

"So, you're going to Beacon too, huh?" Jaune asked. Artyr nodded.

"Yep. Going to become a huntsman. I'm going along with those two over there." Artyr said, gesturing to Ruby and Yang.

Then, a newsanchor on the screen started talking about the robbery.

 _"Last night, a robbery was foiled by two teenagers. It was conducted by none other than the notorious criminal:"_

A mugshot appeared showing the ginger-haired man when he was arrested previously. The name 'Torchwick, Roman' appeared on the placard he held.

 _"Roman Torchwick, who has been apprehended by the Vale Police Department. Back to you, Lisa."_ The anchor said. It switched to a white-haired anchorwoman, who thanked her colleague. Artyr watched the broadcast with interest as she talked about a protest by something called 'faunus', showing an image of humans with animal ears, animal teeth, and tails. The protest had been disrupted by an organization called the White Fang. An image appeared showing an animal's head turned sideways with three red claw marks.

He frowned at this just before the screen turned off and a hologram appeared of Professor Goodwitch. She seemed happy, unlike her attitude last night.

"Hello! And Welcome to Beacon!" She said, happily yet formal with her hands behind her back.

"Who's that?" Yang asked.

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch," Goodwitch said. Artyr wanted to snicker.

'Her name is Glynda?'

"You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy." She began.

"Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace. And as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it will be your duty to uphold it." She continued.

"You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task. And now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training needed for the task." Goodwitch said, then the hologram disappeared.

Then, everyone started going towards the windows. Artyr had a look at the city below. It wasn't as impressive as Coruscant.

"You can see Signal from here!" Ruby exclaimed as they went over the city.

"Guess home isn't too far away," Yang told her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

 _'It is for me,'_ Artyr thought

XXXX

A average-sized woman who had gray hair and crow's feet around her yellow eyes looked at the man in front of her in shock.

She had sun-tanned skin and her skin was starting to sag, sadly. Still, she was fadingly beautiful with her porcelain face.

"I'm sorry, could you say that again?" She asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

The two were in Ozpin's office, on top of Beacon Tower. The massive clock ticking filled the silence between them. Ordinarily, it would drive her mynock-crazy, but that was secondary compared to what she just found out.

"I'm afraid that I must ask you to do a blood and DNA test on one of our newest students: Artyr Sym." Ozpin said, apologetically.

"'Sym'," The woman echoed as she blinked. She walked up to the desk and put both hands on it as she leaned forward to his face to send a message.

 _"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FORCE-DAMNED MIND?! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE HELL THAT MEANS TO ME?!"_ She roared.

"I didn't tell him you were here," Ozpin told her without a tinge of fear.

"But he's going to suspect I'm a Sith!" She barked at him.

"Nobody but you, me and your family know of your origins, Doctor Dorin. I promise you that no harm will come to you."

"Oh, it's not just harm to me that I'm worried about!" The woman laughed as she turned away from the desk. She looked at him angrily.

"A Jedi! A goddamned Jedi! In this school!" She said, crossing her arms.

"He did tell me his side of things," Ozpin told her, nodding. The woman scoffed.

"Obviously, he sees things only through a Jedi's lens." She said, angrily. She sighed.

"Why should I do a DNA and a blood test on a Jedi Knight and a Sym to boot?" She asked, pinching her nose.

"It was requested by one of our faculty," Ozpin said. She looked at him as she thought.

"One of the teachers requested it?" She said, crossing her arms.

"I'm not saying whom, Arina." Ozpin said, folding his hands.

"Fine, but to make sure no one suspects anything, we'll be doing it to all of the students." She told him.

"Consider it done," Ozpin said, nodding.

"And I swear to the Force, if he comes near any of my grandkids, I'll kill his ass!" She threatened angrily.

"Did you just threaten to kill a student?" Ozpin said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, you know what I mean, you sorry excuse for a Force-user!" She said, giving him an evil eye.

"Need I remind you that I am not a Force-user," Ozpin reminded her. They stared at each other for a good while, unblinking, waiting for the other to surrender.

"The students should be arriving now. I'll do my speech today and then, we start doing the medical examinations. We have plenty of time in the day." The headmaster said, standing.

Arina scowled.

"Fine by me," Arina said, starting to turn. Then she stopped.

"By the way, let me know if the kid starts... changing." She requested. Ozpin tilted his head.

"'Changing?' He echoed.

"How?" he asked. She looked at him with a serious look.

"Trust me, you've got to see it to believe it." She answered before walking away.

She opened the door to the office to find Professor Goodwitch standing right outside. The two women stared at eachother and then their eyes squinted.

"Glynda," She growled.

"Arina," The professor growled back.

"Eavesdropping, I see." Arina commented. Glynda scoffed.

"I heard nothing, I assure you. I only heard shouting of some kind. These walls are really thick." Goodwitch said, still glaring at her. She was lying, the Sith knew it.

"Whatever. Just don't tell anyone what you heard, got it?" The school doctor said with venom.

"Are you threatening me?" Glynda asked, getting into a stance.

"No," Arina said as she started walking around her.

"I'm warning you," She finished as she walked away.

 _'Blonde-haired_ bitch,' The Sith Doctor thought to herself as Glynda glared at her back.

XXXX

It turned out there was more than one airship. According to Yang, the four academies would get students from all over the world, to promote diversity among the huntsmen academies.

The three walked away from the airships. Artyr looked at the Academy.

"It's not as big as the Jedi Temple back on Coruscant, that's for sure." Artyr commented as everyone walked towards it. There was a courtyard in front of the Academy with a statue of what looked like two people on top of a rock with something under the rock.

"What does that place look like?" Yang asked him.

"You have to understand, Coruscant, our capital world, is so old the whole planet's one giant city." The two girls looked at him weirdly.

"I'm not kidding. It's so developed, you have to build upon what's been built on before. Each new level is constructed on top of old levels, reaching real high into the sky. There's only one area that was never turned into urban city and that would be the..." He paused, trying to remember. His face fell as he realized he forgot. Of all the trivia he knew... he forgot that one small place that wasn't developed on Coruscant.

"Son of a-! I forgot the name of the place! I know the range! I just can't believe I forgot!" He roared, smacking his head.

"Easy there, big guy. So, what's the Temple like, again?" Yang asked, assuring him.

"It's like a giant block on the outside, square, really. There's like three towers reaching upwards from the center, however, there's hangar bays on the side for Jedi starfighters."

"Jedi have starfighters?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Every Jedi gets one... of course, I prefer fighting on the ground." Artyr shrugged.

"The inside's very... tranquil. It's not much noise as it's supposed to be a place of meditation, reflection, learning and practicing one's abilities." The Jedi continued.

"Sounds boring," Yang commented, yawning.

"To some it is, but it's been my home for my whole life," He said. His shoulders slumped.

" _Was_ my home," He said, sadly.

Just then, Ruby started lighting up as people walked by.

"Oooh! She's got a collapsible staff!" Ruby said in awe at one person's staff.

"And he's got a fire sword!" She exclaimed as she saw another's sword. She went off towards the one with the fire sword like a moth drawn to a flame.

Yang grabbed her sister's hood and pulled her back, making her sister say 'ow, ow'. Artyr shook his head at their antics.

Artyr then felt some kind of disturbance in the Force as they talked about weapons. He tried to hide his frown as he looked around.

Something was here... something dark. Whatever it was, it was right here in Beacon. He wanted to shake his head.

'Can anyone else sense it?' He wondered. It felt dark and not that old. It wasn't familiar, thank the Force. But, still. It seemed like... it was off somehow.

 _'Oz... you better not be hiding shit from me,'_ He thought. Just then, he noticed that Yang had run off with a group of her friends leaving Ruby staggering behind. He grabbed Ruby before she could fall on a cart carrying suitcases as she asked questions about dorms and where they should go.

"Well, that's just plain rude." He said as Yang disappeared from view.

"Hey! You nearly knocked over my stuff!" A girl's voice said. He looked down at the young woman. Her white hair was in a pony-tail that was on the side. Her eyes were icy blue and her skin ws pale. Her dress was a light shade of whitish-blue he thought with the inside of her jacket being red.

"Sorry, my sister just abandoned me." Ruby said, apologetically.

"Do you know what these cases contain?" The young girl asked angrily.

"She said she was sorry," Artyr said.

"And who are you? Her boyfriend?" The girl asked, angrily, crossing her arms as she looked up at the Jedi.

"As a matter of fact, I'm here along with her. She's a friend of mine." Artyr answered.

"Well, she nearly caused something bad," She said, producing a vial. She then started to lecture Ruby about dust when Artyr noticed a cloud coming from said vial. Realizing that there could be a major catastrophe, he raised his hand as he pointed it towards Ruby as soon as she started to look like she was sneezing. The white-haired girl's head craned up as she saw the girl rise.

"Is that damn thing properly sealed?" Artyr asked, snatching the vial from her hands. He inspected it.

"Excuse me! That's my property!" The girl said.

"Listen rich girl, this shit isn't properly sealed! She was about to sneeze and there would've been something bad happening. So, I believe a 'thank you' is in order?" Artyr said, matching her tone.

"Um, Art... can you get me down here? I really don't like being way up here... without standing on something." Ruby said, a little anxious.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" The white-dressed girl asked as Artyr lowered Ruby to the ground.

"Some kind of spoiled rich brat is my guess,"

"She's an heiress, actually." Another girl's voice said. The three turned to see the newcomer.

 _'Holy shit,'_ Artyr thought.

A raven-haired girl stood there. Her yellow eyes lifted up from a book she was apparently reading. He didn't understand the language. Her attire consisted of some kind of black... corset? No, not a corset... just what was that covering her midriff? A white top was underneath along with white shorts black leggings that were purple on the bottom. A bow sat upon her head.

What drew him to her were her yellow eyes.

He looked at her as she spoke.

"Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers energy propellant in the world." The girl said.

"Thank you! Finally some recognition-" The girl, now known as 'Weiss' said, smiling, glaring at Ruby and Artyr.

"The same company known for their controversial labor forces and their unsavory business practices." The black-haired girl stated flatly. Artyr looked at the heiress as he gritted his teeth.

"Wha- How dare-" The heiress said, angrily. She stormed off as Ruby laughed. The black-haired girl turned to walk away.

"Hey, you- Yellow Eyes." Artyr said, jerking his chin at her. The black-haired girl turned.

"Me?" She asked.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Who wants to know?" The girl asked, looking at him.

"Someone curious," He said, crossing his name.

"Blake Belladona," The girl said after being silent for a moment. Artyr's gaze softened at the mention of her first name.

In Blake Belladona's place stood a Clone Trooper with gold markings on his armor. His helmet under his left armpit. His eyes bright as he stood at attention with his hair cropped short.

"Reading anything good, Blake?" Artyr asked.

The clone was replaced by the girl as she looked at him.

" _Man With Two Souls_ and a few others, why?" She asked, tilting her head.

"I always preferred reading military history books, myself." Artyr shrugged. Belladona made an 'hmm' and walked off.

"Do you have a crush on her?" Ruby asked. Artyr looked at her.

"My first day and you think I'm having a case of 'Love at first sight'?" He asked, shaking his head. He patted her head.

"Rub'ika, I'm not _that_ kind of guy." He said. Ruby looked up at him with a questioning look. Just then, the blonde haired kid, Jaune, walked up to them.

"Hey, everything okay? I heard shouting." He said.

"Yep, everything's fine." Artyr said.

"Ruby, this is Jaune... the kid I helped back on the ship." Artyr said, introducing her. The two shook hands.

"Weren't you sick or something?" Ruby asked, pointing.

"Yeah, well, he gave me this vomit-" Jaune said.

"Nausea pill, I have like twenty-nine left." Artyr corrected him.

"Yeah, well, they really did the trick! I haven't been sick since!" He said.

"Thanks by the way. You saved me from something really embarrassing." He added, extending his hand. Artyr shook it.

"No problem," He said.

"So, why did you get sick?" Ruby asked. The three started walking as they talked.

"Follow me. I think I know where I'm going." Artyr said, leading them.

"But, you don't have a map." Jaune pointed out.

"Are you using the Force?" Ruby asked.

"What's the Force?" Jaune asked, looking between the two.

"No, I'm not using the Force. I'm following everyone else." Artyr said as they walked. Artyr smiled as the two talked about weapons, Jaune's air sickness, and other such things as they walked.

 _'Well, at least Rub'ika's got a new love interest now... I think.'_ The Jedi privately hoped as they walked towards their destination. He noticed the statue and realized that underneath the rock was a Grimm. In his personal opinion, it would've been better if they showed a sword impaling that thing's head.

"So, what are your weapons, Art?" Jaune asked.

"My lightsaber, my blaster, my sidearm and a combat knife, plus my remaining thermal detonators." Artyr asked.

"I'm sorry, what was all that?" Jaune asked, confused.

"Show him Butt Burner!" Ruby told Artyr. He used the Force to have the lightsaber go into his hand and activated it, the blade shooting up.

"Whoa," Jaune said in awe. Artyr then deactivated it.

"My blaster is a weapon used off-world. It's basically an advanced version of what you'd call a 'gun'." Artyr explained.

"And thermal detonators are pretty much grenades," He added.

"Wait, 'off-world'?" Jaune asked, bewildered.

"Yep, he's from outer space!" Ruby said, happily.

"You're an alien?!" Jaune exclaimed. The Jedi Padawan shushed him as people looked at the source.

"I don't want to talk about it," The Jedi said.

"So, what race are you?" Jaune asked. Artyr grumbled something under his breath in Mandalorian.

"Jaune, if he doesn't want to talk about it, he doesn't want to talk about it!" Ruby told him.

"He's very sensitive about it," She whispered to Jaune.

"I heard that, _Rub'ika_." Artyr said as they walked inside the Academy for whatever awaited them.


	12. Chapter 12: Initiation Ceremony

Chapter 12

It was almost like walking into the Temple... almost. The architecture was surely different and the Academy consisted of several buildings as it sat on a cliff overlooking the bay towards Vale. A forest, from what he had seen back on the ship, bordered it with a canyon separating the two.

There was a large chamber where the students were gathered. A dais stood above them.

"Ruby! Art! Over here! I saved you both a spot!" Yang called.

"We've got to go. See you later, Jaune." Ruby said as they separated. Jaune moaned about his fate as Artyr shook his head. He froze as he saw something behind Jaune, looking at the blonde-haired kid.

Artyr froze. The girl that he saw among the others was back against the wall. Her fire-red hair was long in a pony tail reaching down her back. Her armor covered her torso and chest, kind of accentuating her breasts, but at least covering them. Her legs were also covered in armor. A kind of crown with chains on which hung emerald jewels in the shape of drops sat on her head.

She looked at him and instantly, their eyes met.

Pain racked through Artyr's head as he staggered back as though shot.

 _He saw the girl fight against the red-dressed girl, losing her spear and shield. The black-haired girl was more powerful, he though, crushing the spear with her bare hands. Red aura came out of her eyes. Just what the hell kind of power did she take?_

 _They fought on the open-aired floor of some building. He didn't know what the hell was going on, but it looked like it was pretty much the Academy from the look of the now-damaged tower. Someone was up on the top floor of that tower, watching the battle. He couldn't tell whom._

 _The girl was on the ground, looking up. She had no weapons and no shield._

 _Aw, son of a bitch. It was happening again. The girl looked up in shock at being defeated._

 _He watched as the now-flying black-haired girl drew a bow and fired an arrow. He watched it all in slow motion. The red-haired girl stood there in shock. The arrow pierced her chest, right into her heart, above her breasts. The girl went down to her knees, defeated and looking down._

 _The red-dressed girl descended to the ground and walked up to her. She taunted her foe as she died and then put a hand on her. There was a red flash and the red-haired girl turned to ash instantly, the dust blowing in the wind._

"Hey, you okay?" He heard a girl's voice ask, snapping him back to reality. He blinked and shook his head as he clutched it. The red-haired girl was looking at him, worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said.

"You look like you saw a ghost," The girl said.

 _'I saw you die, what do you think I saw?!'_ He wanted to say. Instead, he smiled.

"Nah, I'm fine." He answered.

"I get these headaches all the time, had 'em since I was a kid." The Jedi said.

"You looked like you were in pain," The girl said.

"Maybe you should go see the school nurse after the ceremony's over?" She suggested.

"Maybe," The padawan said.

"I'm Artyr, Artyr Sym." Artyr said, extending his hand.

"Pyrrha Nikos," She said.

Just then, Artyr heard shouting and looked over to see Weiss Schnee hassling Ruby again.

"For kriff's sake," He muttered.

"Nice meeting you, Pyrrha." Artyr said, smiling as he walked away from her.

"What's going on here now?" The Jedi asked, crossing his arms as he walked up to the three.

"Nothing's happening," Weiss asked.

"She's being mean and bossy," Ruby said. Weiss shot her a glare as Artyr shook her head.

"For pity's sake, she said she was sorry. Now: I want you both to re-introduce yourselves. Start from scratch," Artyr commanded. The three looked at him.

"What are you, my father?" Weiss asked, hands on her hips.

"Ruby's just trying to be nice," The Jedi said.

"She nearly caused an explosion-"

"As that vial of yours wasn't properly sealed, leaking dust gas and almost made Ruby sneeze." Artyr finished for her. Weiss sighed, angrily.

"I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose." Ruby said as she extended her hand. Weiss looked at her hand.

"Shake it, Weiss. It's a new start for you two." Artyr said, crossing his arms. She looked at him.

"We're not friends," she stated. He looked at her and before he could speak another sharp pain ran through his brain.

"Gah!" He said, clutching his head as he staggered.

 _He saw Weiss and Blake arguing in a room. The moon shone through the window as the two young women argued. He then noticed that Yang and Ruby were watching them argue._

 _Weiss talked about how her family company had been targeted and that family and friends had disappeared or been executed by the White Fang, which rang bells in Artyr's head as he remembered that it had been labeled a 'former peaceful faunus rights group' by the broadcast earlier that day._

 _Weiss explained that her family's company had been targeted. She talked about how family and friends had either disappeared or been executed. She explained how her father would come home frustrated at what happened every day and how it impacted her life._

 _The scene changed as Artyr witnessed Weiss, now possibly a bit taller and wearing a blue dress facing a tall man in a white suit with a white mustache. She said something the man didn't like and the result was a loud crack piercing the air._

 _Weiss staggered and felt her cheek._

 _The scene changed again as she was in a large ornate room and a sword impaled her body as she fought the same red-dressed girl, only her hair was shorter and part of it covered one of her eyes. The girl, held the sword as she impaled Weiss. Around them, he could see others fighting, others he didn't recognize._

He felt something smack him across the face.

"Hey! We're talking to you!" Weiss yelled at him. Artyr rubbed his cheek as the pain both in his head and on his cheek echoed.

"You were staring at me like I'm some monster!" Weiss barked at him.

"He's like that a lot, actually." Ruby commented. Yang looked at Artyr with a worrying look.

He heard something blare from the speakers and everyone looked up. Ozpin was on the stage along with Goodwitch. Everyone watched as Ozpin prepared to speak.

"I will keep this brief," Ozpin said, pushing up his glasses.

"You have traveled in search of knowledge," He began.

"To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people." Ozpin continued. Artyr nodded, but then he frowned as he realized that Ozpin wasn't being inspiring. Shouldn't the headmaster of an academy make an inspiring speech to the students and not discourage them?

"And all I see is wasted energy," Ozpin said.

"In need of purpose and direction," The man continued further. Artyr tilted his head as he looked at Ozpin warily.

"You think that knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far."

"It is up to you to take the first step," Ozpin said and then walked off.

Well, at least the headmaster was a bit realistic, though did he have to be a bit of a downer?

Professor Goodwitch stepped up to the microphone.

"All of you first-year students are to report to the infirmary for a medical check-up to update your medical records. After that, you are to gather in the ball-room tonight. Your initiation will begin tomorrow morning. Be ready. You're dismissed" Professor Goodwitch ordered.

Artyr made a face.

 _'A medical check-up for everyone on the first day?'_ He thought. .

"He seemed off, like he wasn't even there." Yang commented.

"I had a check-up four months ago! Why would I need one now?!" Weiss asked angrily.

XXXX

Dr. Arina Dorin sighed inwardly as she faced her next 'patient'. There was a line going down the building, she swore. She had to use the three nurse assistants for support to take names.

"What's your name, son?" She asked.

"I'm not your son," The blonde-haired blue-eyed kid told her. The aging woman pinched her nose.

"What's your name,smart-ass?" She asked.

"Uh, Jaune, Jaune Arc." The kid said. She studied him. He looked fit underneath, but that was just from with his shirt on.

"I'm going to need you to take that armor off and your shirt. We're going to look at your heart-rate, blood pressure, the usual things of a check-up." She told him.

The boy blushed while she grinned inside. Men were all alike.

He took off his armor and shirt along with his hooded sweatshirt. Well, he looked really fit. His toned abs showed how fit he was as well as his muscles.

She took out her stethoscope and listened to his chest. Breathing sounded fine. Then, she checked his pulse and blood-pressure, both of which were normal.

"Alright, now, put your shirt back on and let's take your weight." She said. He did so and went onto the scale.

"Huh, 165, not bad." She said, impressed.

What happened next as she put him back to the medical bed was ask him his medical history as well as his family's such as if his family had a history of heart failure, cancer, asthma, and the like.

"Well, I had asthma as a kid, but I don't now. I do get sick when I'm traveling on air-ships." Jaune answered.

"Alright," She said, thinking. Well, this would put his career as a huntsman in a bit of trouble unless he wanted to walk to his destination or use a car. She could disqualify him... but, what about nausea pills? She still had some from back home.

She then wrote a perscription note and went to a drawer and pulled out one container among ten others of the white-collared pills. She had to take off the old original labels that were written in Basic and write new labels in... what was the language here called? English? Common? Gah!

She then handed him both the note and the pills.

"Alright, so, if you ever find yourself going to travel by air, use these pills." She told him.

He looked at them.

"Hey, these look just like the pills that guy gave me!" Jaune announced. She tilted her head.

"Which guy?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"There's a guy back out there who gave me this pill that made me better when I arrived by airship." He said.

"This 'guy', what did he look like?" She asked.

He described him to her. Dolin sighed.

"It's not good if someone else gives you their medication, kid. I'll tell this guy about why you shouldn't give someone else your own medications." she told him.

"Now, scram." She said, her head pointing out the door.

Jaune went out muttering 'Jeesh, what a grump'.

Just then the woman's eyes lit up as a girl shorter than her came up to her. She didn't have her yellow eyes, but rather brown eyes, like chocolate. Her hair was straight and when down to her back. Her face was slightly sun-tanned but rather pretty. Bunny ears stood out of the top of her head.

Her attire consisted of a brown top with a brown skirt that went past her knees. She wore sneakers.

"Rebecca, honey! How are you?" She asked, hugging the girl.

"Grandma!" The faunus muttered before the woman pulled back and kissed her grand-daughter on the head.

"Alright, let's see how you're doing," She said, leading her grand-daughter to the medical gurney. As she checked her pulse and heart as well as her ears and nose, they talked.

"So, your sister's doing great in her classes! However, she did have some boy trouble again." The grandmother said.

"Did you deal with him like the others?" Rebecca asked Arina. The old woman grinned wickedly. She had a reputation in the family for looking out for them... in unusual ways.

"Let's just say they won't be coming back anytime soon," She said. Rebecca's eyes widened in fear.

"Please tell me you didn'-" The girl started to say.

"Oh, don't be silly! I got them expelled," Arina said, dismissively.

"How's little Thomas?" She asked.

"He's doing fine, he's going to go to Signal this year." Arina looked at her, her mind going in circles.

 _'Three of my grand-children... all huntsmen like Davin? Why didn't that bitch talk to me about it?'_ She wondered.

"Honey, I love you all, even your mother and everyone else." Arina said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I can understand you all taking your father's old profession, Gods rest his soul." She said, sadly. She felt tears starting to well at the mention of her son.

"But, haven't you and Tom ever reconsidered about fighting monsters? Why not be teachers or doctors or even lawyers?" Arina asked.

"Well, I'd be what you were before you came to Vale, but you never told us about it." Rebecca said. Arina's eyes widened in shock as she struggled with how to explain to her granddaughter who was born on this world... far away from the galaxy that she grew up in about how things worked.

"Rebecca, what I was before doesn't matter. Not only that, but you need to have a certain... Semblance or something like that. Unfortunately, I don't think any of you, from your Uncle Matt, Aunt Aliya, your father, and even you kids have what I have."

"So, what's your Semblance? How come none of you old folks ever talk about it?" The old woman took mock offense.

"'Old Folks?!" She scoffed.

"You won't be getting any present for Christmas for the next two years, young lady!" She threatened, mockingly.

"Oh, I'm too old for presents anyway." Rebecca said, smiling at her.

Arina sighed. She looked around for anyone who was listening in and then she leaned over to her granddaughter's face.

"Honey... what I have isn't exactly what one calls a Semblance. In fact, I don't even have an aura." Arlina explained, quietly. Rebecca looked at her in shock.

"Your uncle, aunt, and father knew, but your older sister, all your cousins, not even your brother knows this." The old woman said, trying to keep her voice audible only to the girl.

"Please don't tell anyone this. I'd rather keep this a secret. There is a group of people who know about me and others like me. In fact, that group are my enemies. And they would do anything to see me dead or captured." Arlina said. Before her granddaughter could speak, she put a finger to her lips.

"I am very serious about this, Rebecca. I don't want you to tell anyone about this, not even your friends or boyfriend, should you get one." she said,, cupping her granddaughter's face. The girl held her breath as she tried to figure out what her grandmother was saying.

"If they discover that someone like me had a family, there is literally no telling what they would do to you all." She said, tears starting to fall as she worried about her. She thought of the man that Ozpin so foolishly invited into his Academy. The Jedi would know that something was wrong, something dark was here.

Soon, she would have to deal with him. But, she couldn't kill him on school grounds. Not only that, but she had to wonder why in the hell a Jedi, a Sym-Jedi, was here... of all the worlds in this galaxy. Did someone bring him here? Was it by accident? How did he get here? Was he after her? Did the Jedi know of her? How many others like him were there on this planet?

"Alright, you look okay. We'll talk later," Arlina said, ushering the girl out of the infirmary. The girl blinked, unsure of what to think. Just then, as her granddaughter walked out of the place, she froze as she saw the man that walked past her. Rebecca looked at him as she walked past him. The man in turn looked back at her.

Her hands balled into fists as she wanted to shout 'Don't you kriffing touch her!' Rebecca walked past him and disappeared from view. The man looked at her and the old woman at him.

He was tall, bulky, had a height of about 1.85 meters back home. His hair was short-cropped and brown with a braid coming down his right side. His tunic was fair-cream colored. He carried a pack over his shoulder. At his hip was a lightsaber hilt.

This had to be Artyr Sym, the Jedi.

"Hello, there." Artyr said, smiling.

"Hello," The woman said, smiling back. It fell as she spoke next.

"Sit down, right there." She jerked her thumb to the bed. He sat down as he looked at her suspiciously. He dropped his bag next to the bed.

"So, Mr...?" The woman asked.

"Sym, Artyr Sym." The kid said, his voice was a bit deep for a teenager.

"Where you from?" She asked, getting the necessary instrument.

"Coruscant," He answered.

"Never heard of it," The Sith-Doctor lied as she inspected his ears.

"It's a long way from here," Artyr said, sighing.

"Long way from home, aren't you?" She asked, tilting his head up and inspecting his nose.

"You don't know the half of it," Artyr said, his voice solemn. She then checked his breathing and pulse, both were fine.

"Where are you from?" He asked.

"I grew up outside of Vale," She said, telling the half-truth.

"Let's check your weight," The doctor told him.

She checked his weight which was about two hundred pounds.

She took him back to the bed.

"Does your family have any medical history? Such as cardiac di-" She started to say.

"I never had a biological family. I was given over to the Jedi Order as a child. Only Master Yoda and the council running the order have the details." Artyr explained. The woman looked at him, unsure of how to respond.

 _'What kind of parent gives their own child to those losers? I should ask him if he has any mental illness. Syms are definitely known for that.'_

"What's the Jedi Order?" She asked, full-well knowing about them.

"We're a group dedicated to defending the people, kind of like huntsmen. We use certain abilities unlike the huntsmen here, calling upon what you would consider a living energy field called 'the Force'."

"Do you happen to have a history of mental illness?" She asked. The Jedi glared at her.

"Like hell I would," He answered.

"Have you heard any voices, had strange visions... blackouts, that sort of thing?" She asked. The Jedi looked at her, his stance shifting from one of anger to one of hesitation.

"You can tell me anything, kid. I'm a doctor. So what you tell me goes to Doctor-Patient confidentiality." The woman said, somewhat assuring him.

They sat in silence.

"I've had nightmares since I was a little kid, yeah. Along with migraines." The Jedi admitted.

 _'He's lying,'_ She figured.

And then he spoke in a language she hadn't heard in a long time.

 _"Ni don't kar'taylir tion'ad gar mirdir gar cuyir ra vaii gar're actually teh, darjetii. A meg goes bat o'r ner kov'nyn cuyir ner own damn business." The man said, glaring at her. She knew the language well, having spent some time among the Mandalorians back home. The Jedi leaned forward as he threatened, speaking Mando'a_

 _"Don't mirdir Ni don't kar'taylir meg gar cuyir, Ni had gar pegged te moment Ni came at te academy. Bid, Ni'll gotal'ur gar a koor: don't corrupt anyone at gar darjetii ways bal Ni don't kyr'amur gar." He threatened, his voice dripping with venom as he spoke the tongue of the warrior-race._

She glared at him. Then, she smiled, letting out a chuckle. He had balls, she had to give him that.

"Nice gibberish, kid. But, I believe that I also need to take several samples of your blood." The old woman told him.

He blinked. She outwardly grinned, but on the inside, she was panicking a bit. He had just threatened her inside the infirmary! By all rights she could've tossed him out. But orders were orders, besides she was a bit curious as to what this DNA test was about. If anything, it would be great blackmail material.

He sighed as he lifted up his tunic's sleeves for her to inspect which arm to draw blood left arm seemed good.

"Lean back and relax your arm on the armrest," She ordered. He did so as she called a nurse in. She tied a red strap around the area above his elbow joint. The nurse then swabbed the area in some kind of brown liquid.

"It's anaesthetic, nullifies the pain." The woman told him when asked.

Then, the injection began after Dorin produced a needle and inserted it into his joint. He breathed slowly. It looked like he was no stranger to needles.

She took two samples, one for blood testing and another for DNA testing. After bandaging the wound, she looked at him.

"Before we go, I want you to know something." The woman said, stopping him from standing up. She produced two photos.

"Look at these photos and memorize the girls in these photos." She told him. He looked at one of them and looked back at the door.

"That's right, one of them was just in here. Which leads me to this:" The Sith said before grabbing his tunic. She lifted him up to her face and brought it so close that they could kiss. Her face turned into an angry snarl.

"I don't want you to go anywhere near them. If you end up being on the same team with the younger girl, that's fine by me. But know this, Jedi." She spat in his face.

"If you so much as touch a hair on their heads, _I'm_ going to shove that lightsaber up _your_ ass blade-first!" She growled.

"Got it?" She asked. He nodded.

"Good," The Sith said, dropping him.

"Now, scram!"She barked, jerking her thumb to the door. He stormed out as he muttered something about something coming back to bite him in the ass.


	13. Chapter 13: Initiation Part 1

Chapter 13

 **(A/N: Hey, since I didn't add a translation to what Artyr said here it is, though I had to use a Mando'a translator.**

 **"I don't know who you think you are or where you're actually from, Sith. But what goes on in my head are my own damn business. "**

 **"Don't think I don't know what you are, I had you pegged the moment I came to the academy. So, I'll make you a deal: don't corrupt anyone to your Sith ways and I don't kill you. "**

 **Sorry I didn't put this in at the end of the last chapter! I was really focused on getting out there.)**

Artyr had finished putting his armor on as well as grabbing his weapons. He looked around. Another red-haired girl with a pink skirt seemed very ... enthusiastic about something while a green-tunic clad young man with black hair with purple highlights was a bit more serious. The two walked past Ruby and Yang.

"You seem awfully chipper this morning," Yang commented. Ruby chuckled.

"Yep," She said.

"No more awkward small talk and 'getting to know you stuff'. I'm going to let my sweet-heart do the talking." She said, getting out her Scythe and then caressing it. Artyr then had the idea for a very cruel joke.

"Ruby, I'm heart-broken." He said, feigning sadness as his voice crackled through his helmet's speakers. The two sisters looked at him in shock.

"Wh-Wh-Wha-" Ruby stammered blushing. Artyr chuckled.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." He said, gesturing for her to calm down. Yang shook her head, muttering 'asshole'. She then punched him in the shoulder.

"Anyway, Ruby." Yang said, continuing as if nothing ever happened.

"If you want to grow up, you're going to have to learn to meet new people and work together." She lectured. Ruby groaned.

"You sound just like Dad," She said, putting her weapon back in the locker.

"First of all, why do I need to meet new people? And secondly, I don't need people to help me." She said, angrily.

"I drink milk," She said, defiantly.

"And I drink Corellian ale, even though I'm only sixteen." Artyr retorted. The two looked at him.

"You drink alcohol?" Ruby asked, quizzically.

"Yep! I get away with it, too." He said, the helmet hiding his grin.

"The point your sister is trying to make _Rub'ika_ , is that we're going to need eachother. Trust me, if I fought everything by myself, I would have died on Geonosis, perhaps earlier than that!" He lectured, telling a half-truth. If he told them about what happened in Athys City, there would be no telling to what their reaction would be. And he definitely didn't want to tell them about that rancor back on that slaver ship on his third mission with Master Bellopheron.

"You keep calling me 'Rub'ika'. My name is 'Ruby'." Ruby told him. He rubbed the back of his neck, wondering how to explain it to her.

"Remember how we're all going into teams?" He asked. The two nodded.

"Yeah," Yang said.

"Well, back in the war, I fought alongside several teams of Republic Commandos, as well as infantry units back in the war." He said, jerking his thumb back.

"The first squad I ever served with was Hunter squad," He explained.

"I met them after they were taken back to their homeworld of Kamino. They taught me Mando'a or Mandalorian. They're a race of people that used to be focused entirely on war. Many times in the past they fought against my order." He explained.

"Adding 'ika' to a name of someone that you know and..." He paused to find the right word.

"Care about?" Yang suggested, suspicious of what he was saying.

"Well... yeah." He sheepishly admitted.

"Hunter squad used to call me 'Art'ika', since I was smaller than them and they held me as a... little.." The girls looked at him expectantly. He bit his lip. Dear Force, this was kind of embarrassing. That's when Yang realized it as her eyes widened.

"Oh my God, you see her as a little sister?" She said, pointing at her sister. Ruby looked from her to him in shock.

"Well, she is smaller than me." He said, defending himself.

"I'm a year behind you!" Ruby yelled at him.

"You're still smaller than me!" He retorted.

"I'll get bigger!" She argued back.

"I have no doubt about that... but-" He sighed as he facepalmed, his gauntlet making a 'clang' against his visor.

"Can we please just talk about how you should start trying to work with other people?" He asked.

"We're not even related, Art!" Ruby said, angrily. Artyr sighed. Yang giggled at the sheer absurdity of the conversation.

"Y'know, you two might make a good couple." She teased.

Both sixteen-year-olds looked at her. Ruby gave her a glare while Artyr also gave her the evil eye behind his visor.

"Yang: Hell to the kriff no." Artyr told her.

"Is 'kriff' a swear word?" Ruby asked, innocently. The Jedi sighed as he shook his head.

"Y'know what? How about we drop this conversation and talk about something else?" Artyr asked, sighing.

"Agreed," The two sisters said.

Artyr looked past Ruby to notice Pyrrha about a few yards over talking as Jaune walked past them looking for his locker. He watched as Jaune lamented how he couldn't find his locker.

"So, Pyrrha. Have you given any thought about whose team you would like to be on? I'm sure everyone would be eager to unite with such a strong individual such as yourself." Weiss asked, flattering Pyrrha. Ruby and Yang turned to watch.

"Shush, let's let things run their course." Artyr said to the two, quiet as he could.

"Hmm," Pyrrha said, giving it a thought. She put a hand on her hip.

"I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may." She answered Weiss.

"Well, I was thinking we could be on a team together." Weiss suggested.

"That sounds grand," Pyrrha said, a bit happy. That's when Jaune interfered as Weiss looked like she was having a happy moment in her head.

"Y'know what else is great?" Jaune said, getting between the two girls.

"What the kriff is this guy doing?" Artyr whispered, shaking his head.

"I don't believe it: a day in and he's trying to date Weiss?" Ruby whispered, confused.

"Dude must be that desperate for a girlfriend," Yang commented.

"Jaune Arc, nice to meet you." Jaune introduced himself, overselling it to her.

"You again?" Weiss said, annoyed as she crossed her arms. She wasn't interested.

Pyrrha then got between the two.

"Nice to meet you, Jaune." she said, waving. Artyr's eyes widened as Jaune pushed her out of the way like she was nothing more than an obstacle.

"That kriffing punk!" He said, his voice rising. He then stomped over as Jaune was trying to talk to Weiss. Weiss looked up as his shadow fell across the two of them. Jaune was about to turn around when Artyr raised his arm and smacked the kid across the back of the head with a loud _crack_! All eyes turned to the group as Jaune yelled 'OW' and turned around while rubbing the back of his head.

"What'd you do that for?!" He asked, angrily. Artyr grabbed the kid's shoulder and turned him towards Pyrhha. The Jedi pointed at Pyrrha who looked at him in shock.

"Apologize to her, now." Artyr ordered, angrily.

"What?" Jaune asked, looking at him in shock.

"You pushed her out of the way. That wasn't very nice, Jaune. Where I come from, that's a sign that you're..." He looked up in faux thought.

"What's it called?" He then looked at him.

"Oh, right: being a shitbag." He said, angrily.

"Now apologize to Pyrrha." Artyr ordered. Jaune turned to Pyrrha still rubbing his head.

"Um, it's actually okay. I'm fine." Pyrrha said, dismissively.

"You're sure? He pushed you like you were nothing." Artyr told her, tilting his head.

"No, I'm fine." Pyrrha said, dismissing it.

"Jeez, take a hint." Weiss said, walking off.

"You didn't need to do that. I was fine." Pyrrha told Artyr angrily. Artyr simply nodded.

Jaune groaned as he rubbed his head.

She came over and looked at his head as Ruby and Yang walked up to Art.

"Did you really have to smack him _that_ hard?" Yang asked, crossing his arms.

"He pushed her out of the way," Art answered, angrily.

"C'mon, we've got to do initiation." Yang said as the group walked out of the locker room, Jaune rubbed his head in pain as he walked.

XXXX

 _Later_

Jaune was still rubbing the back of his head. Artyr hoped he didn't crack his skull open with that smack.

Everyone had been told to stand upon what looked like some kind of pads. They were on a cliff overlooking a forest with a very considerable gap with a river running at the bottom of the gap.

"I see you are fully prepared, Mr. Sym." Ozpin commented on his armor.

"I've worn this armor the whole war back home. I'll wear it to the day I die." Artyr said while hoping he wasn't prophesying about his death.

"In any case," Ozpin said, still clutching his cup of coffee.

"For years, you have all been trained to become warriors," He said.

"Today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin announced.

Goodwitch began speaking.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard about the assignment of teams." She started to say as she held some kind of device.

"Well, allow us to eliminate your confusion. Each of you will have teammates... today." She said.

Ruby groaned.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So, it is in your best interest to be paired with someone you can work with."

Ruby groaned again. Artyr wanted to shake his head.

 _'Oh, it can't be that bad! I've worked with a lot of tough people.'_ He said, remembering how he once got trapped in a cave with Anakin Skywalker once before he became a Knight.

"That being said: the first person you lay eyes on in the Forest will be your partner for the next four years."

"WHAT?!" Ruby shouted in disbelief.

"See, I told you!" The red-haired girl said to her friend with a 'I told you so' tone.

" After you've partnered up, you will make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die." Ozpin said.

Jaune nervously chuckled and gulped.

"There's Grimm in the forest?" Artyr asked, stepping forward. He looked at his fellow initiates. There were very few with armor. How many would survive this? How many would die?

 _'Oh hell. Screw it! I don't care if Ruby wants to be a huntress, I'm getting her ass out of here alive and kicking if I have to!'_ He thought, remembering his promise to Taiyang.

Then, he realized that perhaps, things wouldn't be so simple as that.

"Yes, Mr. Sym. There have always been Grimm in that forest. It's to test our students here at Beacon. Think of them as 'target practice' of sorts... if they don't kill you first." Ozpin answered.

"I'm sure you've faced some worse things off-world, haven't you Mr. Sym?" Ozpin asked, rhetorically. Everyone looked at Artyr as some murmured amongst themselves.

"Yes, sir. Understood." Artyr said, nodding.

"Now, as I was saying," Ozpin continued.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene." Ozpin said.

 _'Deniable plausibility, huh? Oh, we're sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Doe: your son/daughter was eaten by a Grimm because our instructors were told not to intervene' Oh, this is some kriffing bantha shit. Grounds for a school lawsuit, I say!' Artytr thought._

"You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard your item along with your standing until you are graded appropriately." Ozpin finished.

"Are there any questions?" He asked, looking at them all.

Jaune raised his hand as he spoke.

"Um, yeah, uh sir-" He said, but Ozpin ignored him.

"Good: take your positions."

"Positions?!" Artyr asked, looking at the man in shock and disbelief. Then, he looked at the pads.

"Wait a minute," He said, looking at it closely.

The pad wasn't for show... it was for launch!

"Ah kriff!" He sighed, getting ready.

Just then, Weiss was launched into the air.

"I am one with the Force, the Force is with me." He started to whisper quietly.

Then, others were launched one by one as Jaune asked how they would answer. Artyr's prayer went faster. He'd never been launched by a pad before.

Then, it became his turn and he was launched into the air as soon as he said the last words 'With MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!'

He flew through the air.

 _He felt himself soaring through the air as a AA fire hit the gunship he was on with Hunter squad, knocking him out._

 _"Kid!" Baldur shouted on the COM._

 _"Oh shit!" Loki yelled._

 _"Kriff!" Thor barked._

 _"Son of a bitch!" Odin roared._

 _"KRRRIIIIIIIIFFFFF!" He screamed as he headed towards the forest below. He reached for a tree branch to grab onto with the Force, urging it to reach towards him. As soon as he sped towards it, He grabbed it, almost losing his blaster rifle too. He got up onto it, the branch thick enough to support his weight._

 _"I'm okay!" He said onto the COM channel. A chorus of sighs and laughs greeted him._

 _"Don't scare us like that ever again!" Odin barked._

 _"Yes, Sargent." Artyr said like a son who disappointed his father._

 _"We'll meet you at the drop zone. Think you can catch up?" Odin asked._

 _"I'm a Jedi, remember?" Artyr asked as he started force-leaping from tree branch to tree branch like some kind of armored wookie._

Artyr reached for a branch through the force as he fell, making it reach out to him. He barely caught the branch while hanging onto his blaster and climbed up onto it, the branch creaking under his weight. He then decided to hop down the branches carefully so as not to kill himself by falling.

"Man, the wookies would love this place... if it weren't for the kriffing Grimm." He muttered as he landed on the ground. He then looked around sensing anyone nearby. That was when he felt it.

Dark presences... not hungry but... violent, rage-filled, evil, and powerful. He had felt that presence before once before on the Separatist world of Ourd, more specifically in the underlevels of a base there.

 _He was back in that hell-hole. He listened in horror as he heard the squad beneath his feet die._

 _Blaster fire was heard along with the most inhuman roars._

 _"Someone! Help me!" Loki screamed._

 _"What is that thing?!" Baldur asked, fearfully._

 _Odin screamed as something tore into him._

 _"They're everywhere!" Thor roared._

 _He was torn between staying here and going down below to face what was going on, maybe saving his friends. He could hear them scream for help as they were being torn apart, killed, and eaten alive._

Artyr gripped his blaster rifle tightly as if choking it. He then made his way towards the nearest presence. Along the way, he could feel something else. It was feminine, strange, and yet: bright as a candle. He sensed it or rather she struggle.

He then force-ran towards the presence, ready to fire at the mere sight of the enemy.

XXX

Rebecca Winden had landed hard. The rabbit faunus brought out her weapon Blazing Bronze. She took out what appeared to be a rocket launcher, which was about as long as her with a hole as big as her head. Then, she reconfigured it, the launcher's opening receding as something extended from the lower half of the launcher, exposing a six-barreled minigun as the trigger went from the bottom of the weapon to the top of it.

"Good thing I put in ammo for this thing," She said, smiling. When she was using Bronze she tended to have belts of ammo covering her shoulders and wrapped around her waist. She also wore light armor, allowing her to move freely though the gun was a bit heavy. Thanks to some physical training, she was able to lift such a weight.

She looked around. She was supposed to pair up with someone for the initiation. Of course, she had to wonder whom it would be. She started walking, cautious of her surroundings.

That Cardin guy was a big fat 'no' as he pulled on her ears back in the locker room. There was a possibility of that young sixteen-year-old from Signal. Somehow, she made it into Beacon alongside her sister Blake. She looked fun to hang around. However, her sister seemed to be a big wildcard. Maybe Pyrrha Nikos of Mystral? The one who won the tournament at Signum Academy that year? She would make a good teammate with her style of fighting. There were also two others: another faunus, specifically a fox faunus: Yi Shen who, if from what she saw last night as everyone slept, was a bit shady. The other was a human by the name of Tyler Doyle who came from Atlas. She had seen him have a sniper rifle, so a long-range person would look good for the team.

And then there was that one guy that Grandma met yesterday, the one that if anything, Grandma must've warned her about. She could feel it.

The big, bulky human with that braid and wearing that strange tunic with a hilt of a bladeless sword. From what she saw in the locker room, he looked more like a soldier with that strange armor and weapons. She had heard a rumor that he wasn't from Vale... or in fact, anywhere on Remnant. She would have to ask Ruby as the two seemed close from what she overheard in the locker room.

She then smelled something in the air as she walked, stopping. It smelled bad. That's when she heard growls, deeper and menacing. She readied Blazing Bronze, eager to face the Grimm.

That's when a group of them appeared around her: Black, menacing beasts with red eyes under masks that covered the top half of their faces. Their limbs were long and bulky like a gorillas. Their mouths with big sharp teeth that could eat one's head in one bite. Their claws were long and white. She knew what these particular ones were called 'Ursa'.

"I'll take you all on, ya' bastards!" She roared as she started pouring lead around her. The rounds blasting into the heads of the Grimm. The rounds penetrating the masks and entering their brains, making them fall.

The rabbit faunus felt the air shift around her as she felt the Grimm behind her launch themselves at her. She turned to see them all leap at her as she brought her minigun around to bear on the enemy.

Just then, the monsters were tossed to the trees a bit near her like they were rag dolls. And they weren't the only ones as the others were also pushed by something invisible into trees. She then felt something pull her away from them.

"Get over here!" A young man's voice crackling through speakers said. She felt herself get pulled against her will quickly through the air behind a white-gray armored figure with a tunic underneath. He had his hand raised with it curled towards him.

"Stay behind me!" He ordered, his T-shaped helmet looking at her as he raised his strange-looking rifle at them. He turned back to the enmy The Grimm that were still alive, numbering around five all looked at their new prey, their maws drooling. He opened fire, his gun making a strange noise as it fired blue rounds into the beasts. He got two of them, but the others were starting to move onto him. She then started opening fire on the other three, shredding them as well.

"That's a big gun for a small girl," The man said.

"I can carry it," Rebecca said, defensively.

"On that, I have no doubt. Since I'm seeing you in action and as of now, we're partners." The man said. He extended his hand.

"I'm Artyr, Artyr Sym." The man said.

"I kind of remember you from yesterday. I saw you get into that armor and you saw my grandmother for the check-up." Rebecca told him. He then tilted his head.

"The school doctor is your grandmother?" He asked, looking at her. She felt like he was inspecting her for something. He made a 'hmm'.

"We'd better go to the Temple. And hopefully: it's not as big as the Jedi Temple back home." He said, gesturing for her to walk with him.

"'Jedi Temple?'' She asked, unsure of what he was talking about.

"You might not have heard the rumors: I'm from off-world, it's a bit of a long story." The young man said.

She looked at him in shock.

"You're an alien?!"

"I'm not talking about my frigging race," Artyr told her, pointing at her as he spoke.

"There's no shame in admitting what you are, and I'm a faunus!" She said, pointing to her ears. He tilted his head.

"So, faunus are people with animal characteristics?" He asked.

"You've never seen a faunus before, haven't you?" Rebecca asked, looking at him.

"Well, when I got onto the airship here, yeah." He admitted as they walked. The sound of gunfire was heard. The man stopped.

"What?" She asked.

"I'm wondering whether or not we should start helping around, see how many we can get to the Temple." Artyr suggested.

"And let everyone else get all the relics, are you batshit crazy?!" Rebecca asked, exasperated. The armored man shrugged.

"I'm supposed to help people out, it's in the Jedi job description." Artyr told her as they walked. He stopped.

"'Northern end of the forest'" He said aloud.

"What?" Rebecca asked.

"Hold on, let me do something real quick." He said, producing orb with what looked like some kind of camera lenses all around it. The orb glow and the man tossed it into the air, watching it ascend into the sky, way above their heads until it was almost no longer seen. She looked up at it in awe. Then, he produced a flat circular device and activated it. A holoprojection appeared of the forest around them.

"That should be the temple way over here," Artyr said, pointing to a ruined structure far to their north.

He then saw figures running around in clearings along with Grimm chasing after them and- Then, the feed abruptly cut off as a large shadow passed over them.

"What the kriff?" He asked, looking up in confusion. The ball fell and he picked it up, sighing angrily. He tossed it.

"Nevermore," Rebecca said, looking up at the black-winged creature that flew. She swore that she saw something on its back.

"Never-what?" He asked, looking at her, confused.

"That Grimm that just soared overhead- that's a Nevermore. There are other kinds of Grimm like King Taijitu, Death Stalkers, Beowolves, and the ones we just fought were Ursas." She explained, pointing at the Grimm.

He muttered something that she could barely catch but it sounded like 'is that what I fought back then?'

"What was that?" She asked for clarification.

"Nothing, let's head to the temple." He said, gesturing for them to move on. As they walked, she couldn't help but feel something was off about him. She didn't know what it was- the armor, the fact that he said that he was from outer space, or something else. She couldn't figure it out.


	14. Chapter 14:Initiation Part 2

Chapter 14

 **(A/N: I have corrected the age difference in the previous chapter. Also, sorry that this chapter is really long.)**

The sun shone partially through the clouds upon the Academy and its surroundings. The two professors stood on the cliff, looking at their scrolls. Glynda Goodwitch watched the cameras hidden in the forest as the initiates landed and made their way to the Temple. A few pairs had already made it as quick as they could and then were on their way back. She sighed as she looked at the footage of Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos making their way.

She shook her head.

"I don't care what those transcripts say, I don't think that Arc kid is ready for this!" She commented. She sighed angrily. Her eyes then shifted to another window on her scroll showing Artyr Sym and Rebecca Winden walking through the forest.

Her eyes softened from their usual glare as she looked at Artyr.

"Be safe," She whispered.

 _'I didn't lose you for sixteen years only for you to show up and then_

"What was that?" Ozpin asked, turning his head.

"Nothing!" Glynda said, dismissively.

XXX

"Why the hell am I the bait?!" Yi Shen roared as he fought off an Ursa, dodging it as it tried to swipe him with its massive claw. He then went to its side and stabbed the thing's sides with the blades attached to his arms.

Just then a loud 'crack' like a cork being popped was heard and another Ursa fell behind him. More cracks were heard just one second apart: Six in total. The fox faunus dealt with the last one.

"You fucking asshole!" He roared at the figure hiding in the trees, his fox ears twitching. Like several other faunus he had yellow eyes.

The figure dropped to the ground, reloading his sniper rifle. He was an average-sized man with black hair and blue eyes. His skin was fair-cream contrasting with Yi Shen's copper-toned skin tone and smaller height. Yi's hair was also jet black.

He wore a red tunic from back home, considered very lucky there. His 'friend' wore what looked like city clothes with a cap on his head. When the young man walked up, he spoke in a sort of brogue.

"What'd ya' expect, fox? I can't very well get that many kills if I didn't have bait." He smiled, laughing.

"Besides, you're fine, aren't you?" He asked, lightly slapping the faunus's shoulder

"Racist asshole," Yi told him as Tyler walked forward. The human stopped and then looked back at him.

"For the record, I'm not racist, ya dolt. I just like having something to draw attention!" The kid said, smiling.

"Fucking sociopath," Yi muttered, following him.

The fox faunus had paired up with this jackass shortly after they landed. As of now, they were part of a team. Who the other two in their four-man team was another question entirely.

"So, where ya' from, fox?" The human asked.

"The name's Yi, pal. I'm from Mystral. You?" Yi answered, angrily at having been called 'fox'.

"Tyler Doyle," The young man answered. He took a deep breath.

"Reminds me of back home... if it wasn't for all the damn Grimm." The man commented.

"Oh, yeah? And where's that?" Yi asked.

"A little old place far from here called 'Armagh'," Doyle said, happily.

'What kind of a name is 'Armagh'?' Yi wondered as they walked. Tyler laughed and shook his head as he spoke in a language he didn't understand.

"Hey, do you know if we're going the right way?" Yi asked.

XXXX

The faunus and the Jedi walked through the forest, cautious for any Grimm. Artyr smiled as soon as he saw the clearing. There were people already there. Just then, he saw another pair of people: a fox faunus and another human with a sniper rifle. That must be Yi Shen and Tyler Doyle.

From what Rebecca could see there was a blonde-haired girl named Yang who had a sister named Ruby. It looked like they were the only two there. There was a black-haired girl and the blonde from earlier 'Yang' Rebecca heard her called.

The two pairs looked at eachother, acknowledging the other side. The four then went up to the temple.

"This doesn't look like a temple to me," Artyr commented. Rebecca looked at him.

Just then, Artyr grunted in pain and clutched his head while staggering back, as though shot.

"Hey, you okay?" Rebecca asked, touching his shoulder. He didn't respond as his breathing became rapid. Then, it stopped.

"You okay? You sounded like you were in pain." Rebecca said, a bit worried.

 _'Is he mentally unstable or something?"_ She speculated.

"Sorry, migraines. I've had them since I was a kid." Artyr explained, resuming his normal breathing pattern and composure

 _'Migraines don't do that,'_ Rebecca wanted to say. Instead, she simply nodded.

She remembered how her grandmother would sometimes give her medical books and talk about some of the medical conditions she faced at the hospital that she worked at as well as at Beacon itself.

Not only that, but she still couldn't believe that this

"It looks more like something else," He told her, looking around. The pillars were erected around in a half-circle with around twelve smaller pillars containing the 'relics' which were chess pieces.

Artyr went up to Yang and Blake.

"How's it going, Yang?" He asked.

"Fine! Hopefully Ruby found her partner and is on her way here." she said. She then looked at Rebecca.

"I see you found your partner," Yang commented. Artyr nodded. He then turned to Blake, nodding at her. She couldn't tell because of the helmet, but it seemed like he wanted to tell her something. Blake looked at him warily.

He then turned towards one of the chess pieces and inspected them. So far there were gold rook, tower, pawn, and queen chess pieces with their counterparts in black.

"Oi! Where's everyone e-" She heard Doyle start to say. Then a loud feminine-sounding scream was heard. Everyone turned to look in the direction of the screaming.

"Oh my god! A girl's in trouble!" Yang exclaimed as Rebecca turned towards the direction along with the others.

"That wasn't a girl," Artyr announced, inspecting the chess pieces. Yang turned to him along with everyone else.

"Eh?" Rebecca asked.

"What?" Yi asked.

"I've heard girl screams before and that's not one of them," He said, looking at her and then shaking his head.

"And how exactly do you know what a girl screams sound like?" Yang asked, looking at him. Everyone turned to him expectantly. Just then, Blake spoke as she looked up

"Um, guys." She said, pointed. Artyr turned around and looked up. The others did too.

"Holy Feck!" Tyler yelled.

"Son of a bitch!" Yi said in shock.

"BY THE FORCE!" He shouted in disbelief.

 _"Heads up!"_ A girl shouted as she fell from the sky. Rebecca looked up in horror. At the height that she was at and at the rate she was falling down, she could be splattered all over the ground!

Suddenly, something white came soaring across the sky and slammed into the girl, knocking whatever it was along with her into a nearby tree.

"Did your sister just fall from the sky?" Blake asked. Artyr sped off towards the tree where Ruby was. Rebecca had no idea what just happened. Just then, trees fell in the forest near them and they all turned to see an Ursa rise up out of the bushes, only to be shocked by something from its back and fall to the ground. A girl in a pink skirt, jacket and white top came off the thing.

"Aw, I think I broke it!" She lamented, sadly and then proceeded to inspect it. Rebecca blinked.

"This is completely and utterly insane," She whispered, shaking her head at the sheer absurdity of the events of the past three minutes. A young man in a green tunic and gray pants ran up to her, panting. He leaned against the dead Ursa for support.

"Nora..." He panted.

"Please," He continued.

"Don't ever do that again!" The man said. He then looked up to see Nora gone.

Rebecca turned to see Artyr lowering the same girl from before down onto the ground with an upraised hand, lowering it as he lowered her.

 _'So, Artyr's telekinetic'._ She thought. What else could he do? She wondered.

The girl he was aiding looked about three years younger than her and much smaller than Artyr. The faunus could hear the possible alien scold Ruby like he was her father. In a way, it reminded her of her parents whenever she did something bad.

However, the girl who wore a black gothic dress with a black skirt and a red hooded cape looked stunned. He then lowered someone else down. He was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed kid with white armor and a black hooded sweatshirt.

"What were you thinking?!" Artyr scolded as they walked. The girl was starting to snap out of her stunned state.

"Oh, hey, Art!" She said, happily. Artyr looked at her with an unreadable expression and sighed.

"Ruby... how did you fall from the sky?" He asked, flatly.

"Oh, me and Weiss hitched a ride on a Nevermore and-"

"Wait, wait." He said, gesturing for her to stop.

"A 'Nevermore'?! As in a Grimm Nevermore?!" He asked, bewildered.

Just then, her attention was drawn to something in the distance. She squinted.

"That's Pyrrha Nikos!" She exclaimed, happily as she saw her idol run like a bat out of hell from a... Her happy expression faltered as she realized that her inspiration was running from the giant double-decker bus-sized version of a Scorpion. It had a golden-bioluminescent stinger for attracting prey along with massive pincers to crush said-prey before feeding on its remains.

She watched in horror as Pyrrha jumped, narrowly avoiding a pincer from grappling her.

"Holy Feck!" Tyler roared in disbelief. She turned to see him crouch and put one arm underneath his sniper rifle's stock, steadying it. He then took aim and fired. A loud crack was heard as one of the Deathstalker's eyes was hit. The thing screeched as it halted.

"Feck! How do you kill that bastard?!" Tyler roared in his accent as he pulled back a lever, making a casing fall out and fired again at it.

"Ruby!" Yang exclaimed happily.

"Yang!" Ruby said, running up to her and then hugging her.

"Nora!" Nora exclaimed coming between them. The two apparent sisters looked at the possibly insane red-head with a strange expression.

"Man, this just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Yi commented, coming up next to his fellow faunus. Rebecca nodded.

Just then, a loud scream was heard from the sky. All eyes turned up to see the Nevermore overhead. They could faintly see a white figure hanging onto the Nevermore's talons, barely.

Rebecca heard Ruby say 'I told you to jump'. Artyr sighed. Then, his voice through his helmet's speakers became louder.

 _"Weiss, for the love of the Force- Let go! I'll lower you do-"_ He said, making everyone cover their ears. Then, Weiss let go and started falling.

"Kriff's sake!" Artyr said, angrily, his speakers' volume back to normal. He raised his hand and Weiss stopped falling for one second. Somewhat slowly, Artyr lowered her to the ground. Weiss stood there in shock.

"You're telekinetic," Weiss stated. Artyr nodded.

"Among other things, yes." The Jedi said, nodding. He then turned as Pyrrha jumped and landed on the dirt.

"Great! The gang's all here! Now we can die together!" Yang said, sarcastically. Ruby was about to launch herself forward when Artyr walked forward, putting his hand on her shoulder and gently pulling her back. Pyrrha got up and dusted herself.

"Hey!" She said.

"I'll deal with it," Artyr told her. He stood next to Tyler. He again raised his arm, lifting it up. Immediately, the Deathstalker floated about a full twenty-feet above the ground. Artyr's hand then slowly formed into a fist. Simultaneously, the Grimm screeched in pain as it crumpled into a ball, its legs being crushed by an invisible weight as it formed into a bloody ball which dropped to the ground after Artyr lowered his hand, releasing his invisible grip on the now-dead Grimm.

"Holy shit," Yi breathed.

"Damn," Tyler said softly.

"Whoa," Jaune said, eyes wide in awe.

"That's.. impressive," Pyrrha said, looking at him. Artyr then looked up at the Nevermore as it flew around the cloudy sky.

"That's so freaky and bizarre and weird!" Nora commented. Artyr didn't bother to answer her.

"Such power," The green-tuniced kid said.

"Is one particular aspect of being Force-sensitive," Artyr finished for him without turning, his back to them all.

 _'Force-sensitive?'_ Rebecca wondered.

"Yeah, y'see: Artyr here's a Jedi from another planet. He fought a war in space and then he landed in Vale! He's the reason why we both got to go to Beacon!" Ruby told them, excitedly.

 _'Jedi'?_ Rebecca wondered.

"What's a 'Jedi'?" Jaune asked as the others echoed similar questions. Artyr sighed.

" I'll explain everything about myself as best as I can, later." Artyr told them all.

"Right now, we're to get our relics and get back to the cliffs. Those are our orders." Artyr said as one with authority.

Artyr spoke like a commander.

"Rebecca, choose an artifact. Same goes for everyone else." He said, gesturing to the chess pieces.

"Who died and made you king?" Weiss said, angrily.

"Weiss, I'm not going to argue with you. Just pick a relic and we're out of here." Artyr said, firmly.

"I think we should do what he says," Yi said, a bit weirded out by the 'Jedi'. THe others agreed silently. Yi and Tyler went off to pick a relic. Rebecca did so as well along with Jaune and Ruby. He turned to face the Nevermore in the sky . He then raised his hand.

"Are you sure you can reach that Nevermore? It's pretty high." Pyrrha said, standing next to him while squinting at the far-away Grimm. She looked from him to the Nevermore.

"I've taken down Separatist gunships and even their troop transports a few times. It takes an increasing bit of concentration with each larger thing or person for people like me." Artyr explained Pyrrha looked at him quizzically, wondering what he was talking about. The Nevermore stopped flying around and hovered in mid-air. It squawked nervously, realizing that it could no longer move freely.

"You've done enough trouble, my friend." Artyr said in a not-so-friendly manner. He then formed a fist. It was like the Nevermore had been crushed by an invisible hand and fell from the sky, plummeting to the ground.

"Pyrrha blinked.

"I don't think I could ever reach that far," Pyrrha said, dumbfounded.

"You'd be surprised," Artyr told her. He then turned around.

"Alright: Everyone has their relics?" The Jedi asked, looking around. They raised their chess pieces. Rebecca had chosen a black tower piece as had Yi and Tyler upon mutual agreement. Jaune and Nora had chosen the Queen pieces, while Yang and Ruby had gold Rook pieces. Artyr nodded.

"Alright, let's move out!" He called, waving them forward.

Along the way, Nora started to pepper him with questions.

"So, you're from outer space? Are you an alien? What other kinds of powers do you have?" Nora asked. Artyr grumbled in some alien language.

"Uh, hey, uh- Nora?" Ruby said to her.

"Yeah?" Nora asked, looking back.

"Artyr doesn't like to talk about what race he is. He's very sensitive about it." Ruby told her, whispering after she gestured Nora to come to her.

"So, he is an alien?" Li said, more like a statement than a question.

"I'm not talking about it," Artyr grumbled, his voice getting a bit deep as they walked. Rebecca looked at him warily.

Just what was he hiding?

After the group walked towards the cliffs, they saw that there was a massive ruin in the gap between their side and the high cliff.

It looked like some kind of bridge or something, maybe some kind of ancient civilization's junction.

"Interesting," Artyr said, looking at the ruins.

"Who lived here back in ancient times?" Artyr asked aloud, looking back.

"Uh, pfft." Jaune said, shaking his head. He shrugged.

"I've got no idea," He stated.

"Possibly, ancient Vale would be my guess, maybe even older." Pyrrha suggested, looking at the carvings on a nearby broken pillar.

"Of course, there's a bit of a problem," Artyr said, pointing at the junction. Everyone looked at what he pointed to.

"That junction-tower, in the center of all that? It doesn't reach the friggin cliff." He said as they all gathered.

"Well, I can do glyphs so that we can get to the top." Weiss suggested, raising her rapier.

"What are 'glyphs'?" Artyr asked, looking at Weiss.

"Glyphs are a particular kind of magic that my family can practice. We've had it for generations. They can range from say launching projectiles, summoning, and other powers like making vertical surfaces able to hold human feet up a cliff." Weiss explained.

"They don't have glyphs in outer space, do they?" Weiss asked. Artyr shook his head.

"No, but we use the Force... at least, a few of us." Artyr explained.

"'The Force'? That's the second time you've mentioned it." Blake said, curious.

"It's how the Jedi and their enemies get their powers," Ruby explained, matter-of-fact.

"Alright: enough chatter." Artyr said, ending the conversation. He turned to Weiss.

"Weiss: You do glyphs that help us climb the cliffs. After that, I'll lift some people up if you can support a few folks yourself." The Jedi told her. Weiss nodded.

The group walked up to the cliffs towering over them all like a mountain.

"Too bad my grappling hook is back on Arthuron," Artyr stated. He sighed as he shook his head.

Rebecca looked at him in question as did everyone else.

"I'll explain later," Artyr said, dismissively.

"Weiss, if you'll do the honors?" Artyr asked. Weiss nodded, readying in a stance, her foot forward, but not that forward, back straight and head up. She pulled a switch on her rapier. That was when Rebecca noticed that near the hilt of the rapier, there was some kind of rotating, color-coded device between the hilt and the blade.

The device turned to the blue color and she gestured with it. A long line of circular, mystical glyphs that were white ran up the cliff to the very top.

"You first," Weiss said. Artyr nodded and then leaped at a height that no one could do, landing on one glyph and then ran faster than anyone Rebecca knew.

"Damn, he's fast." Yi said, shaking his head.

"Not as fast as me," Ruby countered, jealous. They then saw Artyr jump over the cliff and landed on the surface. He then looked down. He then looked down.

"Alright! Half the group will be levitated by me! The other half by Weiss!" Artyr roared from above.

"I'm going up the glyphs," Ruby announced, launching herself on the first glyph and promptly running up.

"Actually, I was wondering what being lifted up felt like." Nora said, grinning, walking forward. She then spun and glared at the men.

"None of you fuckers look up my skirt, ya hear? Or I'll break your legs!" She warned. Yi nodded, eagerly.

"What kind of man do ya' take me for, lass?" Tyler asked, exasperated. Jaune and the green-tuniced kid looked down, blushing. Rebecca snickered.

"I'll take the lift as well. I always wondered what it would be like to 'fly'," Blake said thoughtfully, stepping forward.

"Sort of," She said, shrugging.

"I'll take the glyphs," Pyrrha said. Jaune then reached into his pocket and took out a capsule, popping a pill and then putting the now-closed capsule back in his pants.

"I'm good for lift-off, Art!" Jaune called, getting into the group.

"Glyphs for me!" Yang said, going to the glyphs.

"I'll go with the glyphs," The green-tuniced kid said.

"I can trust you to not drop me, right?" Tyler called out to the Jedi.

"I've never dropped anyone in my life!" The Jedi called back.

Yi decided to go with the glyphs.

Nora went first to be lifted into the air with the men averting their gaze from looking up her skirt. She made a 'whee!' sound the whole way up. As Artyr lifted his group, the others ran up the glyphs.

Weiss was the last to run up the glyphs.

"Well, that was a bit of a thrill," Blake said.

"Believe it or not, I once had to lift a whole building up so that some of my boys could get out from under it," Artyr s told her as the group started walking back towards the waiting instructors and other students.

"You're shitting me!" Tyler said, laughing. Artyr scoffed.

"I'm not kidding." He said.

"Hey, Artyr, right?" Blake asked the Jedi. He looked at her.

"Yeah?" Can I talk to you?" Blake asked. He hesitated before nodding. The others went off towards the instructors. Rebecca found this curious and listened in with her rabbit ears, concentrating as she walked towards Professors Ozpin and Goodwich. Ruby had briefly looked back but was encouraged by Yang to go with her.

Rebecca slowly walked as she saw her fellow huntsmen/huntresses-in-training go towards Ozpin and Goodwitch. Each pair gave their chess piece to the professors and were told their grades.

"You've been acting strange around me since we got here. What's with you?" Blake asked, seriously. Rebecca didn't look back.

Rebecca had to admit that she was right. He had acted a bit strange towards her earlier.

She heard the hiss of a seal being broken and something being taken off.

"It's nothing, Blake." Artyr said, as though speaking to an old friend. His voice wasn't obstructed by the helmet's speakers. He sounded like a city boy.

"Is it my eyes? Do you hate people with my eye color?" She asked, angrily.

"Ordinarily, the people with those kinds of eyes are usually evil in my order's viewpoint." Artyr admitted.

Rebecca frowned. Why was he being discriminatory about people with yellow eyes? She felt that it was really irrational. What was so bad about yellow eyes?

"A lot of people have yellow eyes," Blake said angrily.

"I.." He started to say.

"I guess I'm starting to realize that." Artyr admitted, sighing.

Rebecca wanted to grin. So he was going to stop being a hater.

"But, as it is: you remind me of someone I knew from back out there." Artyr told her, flatly. He sounded like he was remembering something.

He heard feet shift.

"A while ago, I led a battalion of Republic soldiers: the 237th, part of the 59th Regiment." He said, going into his history.

"They were some of the best men I ever served with. One in particular, was CT-9809 or Blake as he was called." Artyr said. There was silence.

'That sounds like the guy he's talking about was some kind of... thing as opposed to a person. No last name? What does CT stand for?' Rebecca wondered.

"Blake was a good friend, soldier, and leader. He was like you, actually." He said, sounding like he was smiling.

"Mysterious and kept to himself?" Blake asked, rhetorically.

"No, more like a scholar and a reader. He also wrote poems that I kept after-" He stopped himself from going further. His breathing sounded heavy as if recalling something terrible.

"He died, didn't he?" Blake asked him, softly.

"A lot of them died," He said answered back in the same tone.

"That's all I'll say on that," He added, sharply.

"I know you're hiding something, Blake." Artyr confessed. Rebecca heard Blake inhale heavily.

"But, whatever it is: good or bad, I won't ask about it. You deserve that much." Artyr assured as if talking to a close friend.

"If you need to talk about something: talk to me." Artyr told her.

"Why should I talk to you about my problems?" She asked, slightly angry.

"I've seen a lot of terrible things in my life. Things you possibly couldn't understand or even want to." The Jedi told her.

"Whatever's on this planet, Grimm, bandits, anything else.." He continued, counting them off.

"It's nothing compared to what I've seen back out there." Artyr told her.

"I've seen entire planets be consumed by war and whole fleets and armies destroyed." There was silence from Blake.

Rebecca took a deep breath at what he said.

"That's right: worlds. Plural. I've seen their populations be enslaved by my people's enemies and taken off to who-knows-where. I've seen their cities and culture destroyed in an instant, turned to rubble and strewn with corpses and droid parts." Artyr lectured, his voice rising.

Rebecca blinked.

If this had happened yesterday before initiation, she would've laughed at the idea. But as it was, it was all true. Their classmate was from outer space. An alien? Most likely. That, and he was more like a soldier if anything.

Not only that but what could be worse than Grimm?

"So, whatever it is you're hiding, Blake. It's nothing compared to what I've witnessed." Artyr told her in a serious tone.

"You don't know what I've done," Blake told him.

Rebecca's ears twitched. Just what had Blake done in her past? Now this was getting really interesting.

Artyr made a 'hmm'. It sounded like he was considering something.

"Whatever it was, it's not as bad as what happened to me." He told her, still serious. He was going to probably ask another time, Rebecca figured.

"Now, let's get going. We've got to complete the initiation." Artyr said, walking away.

"Sure," Blake said, softly.

Rebecca quickened her pace and walked up to Professor Ozpin, who registered what she had. She tried to keep a normal composure after overhearing the conversation.

"Rebecca Winden and Artyr Sym: White Tower piece." He said, looking from her to the scroll that he held.

"You've been graded an A for your combat performance. You arrived here in two hours and five minutes after your initial launch." He said. He smiled.

"A for teamwork as well," He commented. He looked at Artyr.

"I trust you had a fun time, Mr. Sym?" Ozpin asked, smiling. Rebecca turned to him as he walked up to her. He gave her a glance as he stood in front of the headmaster.

"Did everyone make it out alive?" Artyr asked.

"Except for a few minor injuries, yes." Ozpin answered, nodding.

"Good to hear," Artyr said, nodding back.

"Always the commanding officer, I see." Ozpin commented with a smile. Rebecca looked between them. Artyr tilted his head.

"You develop a feel for it when you've been through war." Artyr told him.

"On that, I have no doubt." Ozpin said, happily.

"Now, if I may have the chess piece, Miss Winden?" Ozpin asked, extending his hand. Rebecca gave it to him. Just then, Blake walked past them, giving Artyr a glance that spoke of... what? Rebecca looked at her glance and then Blake's eyes shifted to her. The look that Blake gave her spoke of recognition as if she recognized her.

Once everyone had given their pieces, they were formed into a line.

"You have all passed initiation. Congratulations." Ozpin announced. There was a chorus of 'yes!' and cheers.

"With your relics, we can now form you all into four-man teams. The initial letters of your first names will be formed into the team names into something comprehensible." Glynda Goodwitch said, almost happily.

Rebecca noticed that she kept glancing at Artyr for some reason as she spoke, her eyes going back to him.

"Now, then. Let's get back inside and form you into your teams." Ozpin ordered, happily after sipping his cup of coffee.

The students and the two professors then went on their way back to the Academy. Artyr then tapped Rebecca on the shoulder. She turned to him.

"Stay behind for a minute. I need to talk to you." Artyr told her. She bit her lip.

"Um, okay." Rebecca said. They stayed behind. Artyr crossed his arms, his pale blue eyes looked down at her.

"I know you eavesdropped on the conversation between me and Blake." He stated, crossing his arms.

'Oh shit,' she thought. If this was an anime, a sweatdrop would be on the back of her head.

"Don't lie and deny it, I could tell as you were walking real slow and your ears were twitching." Artyr told her before she could say anything.

"If I had to guess, and I've only been here for about two days is that faunus," He paused, confused.

"That is what you're called right? 'Faunus'?" He asked for clarification.

She nodded.

"Yeah," She answered.

"So, anyhoo." Artyr continued.

"I would appreciate it if you could keep what was said between me and Blake a secret?" He asked.

"I know it sounds like I've got feelings for her, but nah." He said, shaking his head.

"She just reminds me of an old war buddy of mine who served under me back out in the war." Artyr said, gesturing with his thumb.

"That's it," He said, making his hand go in a flat line motion.

"Sure," Rebecca said, unsure of what the consequences were.

"There aren't any consequences in saying 'no' to this, but I'd rather what me and Blake said in private be kept just that: private." Artyr assured her.

"Your grandmother swore that she would kill me if I ever hurt you or your sister in any way." He said, smiling.

"Sounds just like her," She muttered under her breath.

"C'mon, let's get going. We've got to be assigned to our teams." Artyr said, nudging his head towards the group.


	15. Chapter 15:Nightmares and Monsters

Chapter 15

 _Artyr watched in horror at what he saw._

 _"No, please no." He whispered._

 _The Jedi Temple was burning, the smoke and flames rising high into the sky. Clone Troopers, the men he considered as comrades, subordinates, and even brothers: killed his brother and sister Jedi. He watched as friends that he knew and Masters that had once trained him all fell to treachery. They were blasted and blown up by grenades._

 _Among them was something he thought was completely and utterly insane: among the clones, fighting against his own kin, was a black-clad hooded Jedi._

 _"That's not possible!" He said, softly as he saw what should be one of his brothers in the Force kill his own kin. He shook his head at the horror of it all. Who would kill his fellow Jedi? Why?! Why would he do this?!_

 _The dark Jedi tore through his former brothers and sisters with unrelenting cruelty and brutality. His sapphire lightsaber cut off heads and sliced Jedi in two, not even the apprentices were safe against him._

 _The clones went from room to room, killing whomever they saw._

 _"CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE! THAT'S AN ORDER!" Artyr yelled as he watched what should have been loyal soldiers be atrocious butchers._

 _"YOU BASTARDS! WE TRUSTED YOU!" He roared in pain as he saw the massacre, and it was a massacre._

 _Then, he saw the most horrible thing. The dark Jedi walked into what should have been the council chambers. His blade was deactivated. The Council was obviously not in session as the room was dark. Hiding in the shadows and behind the council seats were younglings, barely under the age of eight. They had no lightsabers. They must've numbered about twenty. Where were the others?! There should have been more younglings unless- Realization hit Artyr like a lightning bolt._

 _The clones had killed the younglings along with this kriffing traitor._

 _Artyr wanted to shout-no scream that they needed to get out of there._

 _One of the younglings walked up to the dark Jedi._

 _"Master Skywalker. There's too many of them. What do we do?" He asked in his innocent voice. Artyr looked at the dark Jedi._

 _Skywalker?! Anakin Skywalker, Master of his sister, Ahsoka... was killing his fellow Jedi?! Why?! WHY?!_

 _"Don't do it, Anakin. Don't do it!" Artyr roared. Anakin, still hooded, activated the lightsaber. What happened next made Artyr scream and wail at what happened._

Artyr awoke and bolted upright in his bed, panting as he looked around. The early morning dawn was still being born as he saw that his new team were all asleep.

He sighed as he put a hand to his head, feeling the wetness of sweat. He sighed as he got back into bed. He didn't feel like sleeping right now, not after what he had seen.

It had been about what-half-a-day since he, Rebecca, Tyler, and Yi had been formed into Team ARTY with Artyr as the leader. At the time, Artyr felt honored but also... out of place. It had been two days since he had been taken from Arthuron, away from his team. Two days since he had sent Samson and Alyx back to Master Almira, to tell them that if anything happened, they should leave without him, along with his last words to Ahsoka, everyone at the Temple, and even Lira... good, beautiful sweet, Lira.

"I want to go home," He whispered. He had to know if everyone back home was alright. He had to know if Ahsoka was still alive. He wanted to warn the Council, warn everyone of what Anakin was going to do.

He seethed with anger. Anakin Skywalker had been a reckless fool as a padawan and reckless as a Jedi Knight. He had nearly gotten his sister killed several times. To learn that he would kill his fellow Jedi was something else entirely. That kriffer deserved to die! He wanted to kill him for what he did!

He grunted in anger as rage boiled inside of him. Master Bellophoron had been killed because of that bastard! And now, the Force only knew what was going on back home and what he was doing to Ahsoka. If he had hurt or killed Ahsoka, he would kill the kriffer with his bare hands! Crush him into a ball, break his neck, tear out his eyes and every other violent thing he would do to him!

His voice had gotten deeper as he breathed. He could feel the changes coming. He tried to calm himself down and breathed slowly as he felt his skin harden and his height grow. He breathed slowly as he tried to relax.

"I am one with the Force, the Force is with me." He whispered, repeating the phrase over and over as he tried to concentrate on cooling down. He felt his height return to normal and his voice becoming normal. He sighed.

"I really need to get back home," He muttered. He then turned in his bed and looked down at something.

"What the kriff?" He whispered as he saw a small holoprojector on the ground. He quickly looked around as everyone else slept.

He picked it up and activated it. A moving hologram appeared of himself when he was ten years old with an alien that had a dinosaur-like head. The alien had its hand on his shoulder. The now-older Artyr looked around and frowned. Everyone looked like they were still sleeping. He put the device back in the end-table dresser.

A list of suspects came to mind:

There was Yi, who if what he had seen before bed was true, had snuck out last night for something to do. Whatever it was, he could only guess. He hadn't come back at all.

Then, there was Rebecca. She had eavesdropped on the conversation between her and Blake. It's possible she was even more curious.

Then, there was Tyler Doyle. Tyler Doyle was from someplace called 'Armagh'. To quote him was 'It's a charming little town outside of Atlas. It's chock full of honest, hard-working drunkards, who'll beat the living shite out of ya' as soon as ya' look at one of their daughters if you're a man'.

Well, sounded like a very... conservative establishment... besides the drinking bit. However, he preferred to do research himself as he hated to ask other people to do research for him if he had the security clearance back home. Here, not so much. In fact, he couldn't read anything here! The written language here was something called 'English' or 'Common'.

Of course, he heard of other languages on this planet, which completely boggled his mind. Just how many different languages does one planet need? He heard of two on some worlds, three at the most. But if it turned out to be in the hundreds, Force help him!

Another possible but unlikely suspects included Blake, Ruby and maybe Yang. Ruby had been a bit curious about his past. Blake had been told a bit about his past. It's possible that her curiosity had inspired her to do this. Yang... Perhaps she had been curious about who had helped her sister?

He sighed as he shook his head. Things were not looking good right now. He sat there in bed until the others were awake.

"Morning," Artyr said, getting up, pretending to wake up just as Tyler woke up. Yi then walked into the room from wherever he had come from with a cup carrier with about four cups of some kind of beverage.

"Morning guys," Yi said, happily.

"Morning, Yi." Artyr said.

"Morning, Fox." Tyler greeted him, stretching.

"My name's Yi, _cao ni ma."_ Yi told Tyler flatly while glaring at him.

"The fuck'd you say to me?" Tyler asked, looking at him. He gave a suspicous look as Rebecca woke up and yawned.

" Yo, there's a girl in the room." Yi said.

"I grew up around bad language my whole fucking life, Yi." Rebecca said, stretching as she looked at Yi. Yi sighed.

"I got coffee for everyone," He said, handing the cup carrier to everyone. Tyler was first, getting his cup. Artyr was next.

"Coffee... sounds like 'caffeine' from back home." The Jedi said, taking a sip. He nearly spit it out as it was so damn hot. He forced it down his throat.

'I've downed shitty caffeine on worlds a lot worse than this'. Artyr thought, feeling the hot liquid scald his throat. It did taste a bit crappy, but he could tell there was some kind of cream and maybe sugar in it, sweetening it.

"Where'd you get this?" Rebecca asked the fox faunus after being given a cup.

"I have my secrets," Yi said, grinning mischieviously.

"As do we all, _vod_." Artyr said, having another sip.

"What did you call me?" Yi asked, glaring at him, thinking it was an insult.

"That last word isn't a threat, Yi. I can tell you that much." Artyr said, smiling as he sat up and stood up.

"Alright, what's our first order of business?"

"Well, we had a bit of a day yesterday. We should start unpacking our things and do a bit of decoration. Classes dont't start until around... seven I think." Rebecca said, thinking. She then got out of bed, revealing that she wore a T-shirt and pajama pants to bed, pajama pants that, thankfully, were baggy.

She got the class schedule and looked at it.

"We've got Professor Port's class at seven," she said, looking around.

"First: we get dressed in our new uniforms. Second: we unpack and properly store our crap wherever we can." Artyr stated more than suggested.

"What about breakfast?" Tyler asked, before downing another gulp of coffee.

"Breakfast usually starts at like, five here." Rebecca told him.

"What time is it now?" Artyr asked, getting out of bed.

"You seriously don't have a scroll?" Yi asked, looking at him with a weird look. Before Artyr could answer, Rebecca spoke for him.

"He's an alien from another planet, Yi. He's not going to come here with a frigging scroll." Rebecca told him, dead-panned.

"I'm still not saying on what my race is," Artyr told them, his tone signifying a warning.

"It's ah, six AM." Rebecca said, looking at her scroll.

"Alright, Team. Let's get dressed and start working on the room. At 0640: We hightail it over to Professor Port's class." Artyr announced, standing up.

"What's 0640?" Yi asked, a bit confused after downing his whole cup.

"That's military time for 6:40." Rebecca answered.

"So, that's it: we're a military squad now, eh, Art?" Tyler asked, looking at their leader while holding his cup like it was a bottle of ale. Artyr shrugged as he went to the closet. He found that the closet was chock full of school uniforms. Men were required to wear a black jacket, white collared long-sleeved shirt under a gray vest, a black tie, and black socks with black dress shoes.

School female uniforms were a knee-length skirt with a black jacket, a white blouse with a bowtie and black socks as well along with black dress shoes.

Strangely, there was a packet of underwear marked 'For Artyr'. He picked it up. There was no signature and the underwear were boxers. Either someone was being a good samaritan... or a secret admirer. He shivered. Please the former instead of the latter.

"We've only got one bathroom, so we'll have to share." Rebecca announced.

"Obviously, lass." Tyler said, bitterly.

"Rebecca goes first," Artyr announced, getting out of the closet, hiding the boxers behind his back.

"Oh, come on! We're going to be stuck here for the next hour!" Tyler roared, angrily as Rebecca went to the team closet and got out a uniform to put on. When she went to the bathroom, she had a smirk on her face.

Yi looked at the kid from Armagh.

"A bit sexist, are we?" Yi asked, crossing his arms as he held his now-empty drink.

"A moral thief, the world is full of surprises!" Tyler retorted.

"Lock it down, both of you." Artyr ordered, pointing at them as he spoke in an authoritarian tone.

Tyler scoffed.

"You're how old and you're ordering me around?" Tyler scoffed as he stood up. He walked up to Artyr and stood right in front of him, glaring up at the man.

"Ty- I wouldn't start shit with him, if I were you. He killed those Grimm with his freaking mind, man." Yi warned, pointing to his head.

"I don't give a shit, fox!" Tyler barked at him.

"Who are you to tell me what to do, soldier boy?" Tyler said, getting up to Artyr's face. In a flash Artyr didn't see Tyler Doyle of Armagh, but someone else.

A clone stood in front of him with a wicked grin.

"Who do you think you are, kid?" The clone said with that same voice as his brothers, only in a menacing tone.

"You're a lot younger than us plus you're inexperienced," The clone told him.

"I don't need to explain myself to you, Loki." Artyr said, angrily.

The clone gave him a weird look and then spoke in a different accent and very angry tone.

"'LOKI'?! WHO THE FLYING FUCK IS 'LOKI'?!" The clone roared, now turning back into Tyler. His face was red.

Artyr blinked at the awkward situation as Yi laughed out loud.

"Sorry, had a bit of confusion right there." Artyr said, weakly excusing himself as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Damn straight, ya' wanker!" Tyler roared in his face.

"Tyler, calm down or I'm going to-"

"Going to what?! Deck me?!" Tyler roared in his face. Artyr glared at him. His anger was starting to rise at this insubordinate prick.

"Knock it off, Ty." Yi warned. The human turned to face the faunus. Instantaneously, Artyr grabbed Tyler's right arm and pushed him against a wall. Tyler roared in pain as his arm was forced to go up further than it should when bent.

"Oh my God!" Yi yelled in shock, dropping the cup.

"Listen here, 'kid'." Artyr hissed into Tyler's ear. Tyler grunted in pain.

"I don't like this any more than you do," The Jedi said, his voice starting to go deep. He could feel the change coming. He tried his damnedest to suppress it. Tyler struggled against his grip, but Artyr's grip was stronger as he pressed the human against the wall further.

"Do you honestly think I want to be here on this planet?" He continued, showing his angered and sad emotions. His voice still became deeper. He felt his skin harden and thicken. He started to grow.

"If I told you how far away I am from home, you definitely wouldn't believe me." He began in a resonant and bass voice that no human could possibly speak in. He could feel the fear in the air around him in the Force.

"Right now, I want to take a nearby starship and get back to Republic space. But I can't do that, because this world's tech is so _kriffing_ primitive. You think your airships are fast? Ours can cross the entire galaxy in under ten minutes, going anywhere we want to within known boundaries. But, like I said, your tech's complete and utter shit." Artyr spat, his spittle going into Tyler's back.

"I want to call Coruscant and tell them I'm okay and that I want to go home. But, I can't because you use radio signals." He forced a laugh.

"Radio signals! That shit hasn't been used in thousands of years where I'm from." He continued.

He didn't hear the bathroom door open nor did he notice Rebecca standing in shock. Nor did he hear the door to their quarters slightly open.

"And on top of all that, I just had the worst kriffing nightmare. As it is: I can't warn anyone. And likewise: no one from back home can find me. It is t _hat_ kriffing awful!" Artyr said with pain, forcing it farther. Tyler winced.

"Do you have any idea what kind of shit I've seen out there? It's people like _me_ that _you_ want to protect you from them. Whether you like it or not." He hissed.

"So, fate's played all our hands, and we're stuck together as a team. And we're going to do things as a team. If I want your opinion, you can say so respectfully or I ask for it. Just don't be a kriffing dick about it." Artyr warned in his voice.

"Clear?" Artyr asked in his alien voice. Tyler didn't say anything at first.

"Clear," Tyler said, scared.

Artyr released his grip and panted, trying to calm down.

"By the Gods, is that what you really look like?" Yi asked in awe. Artyr turned and was about to speak when he looked at himself.

"Ah, shit." He muttered, looking at his bark-colored, rough hands. He then looked up to see Rebecca standing in the bathroom door in her school uniform. Her eyes were wide with terror at what she saw. Artyr tried to calm himself down.

"Not a Force-damned word about this," Artyr said, his body going back to its more human form. He turned to Tyler who still clutched his arm. He looked at Artyr in shock.

"By the gods," he whispered.

"You're next, Tyler." Artyr told him.

You bitched, you're next." He ordered, gesturing for him to get his uniform. He sighed as he sat down on the bed. He tried to breathe through his nostrils as Rebecca got out of the bathroom. Tyler then got his uniform and went to change. After that, it was Yi. Tyler glanced at Artyr. He opened his mouth several times only to close it.

Rebecca sat on her bed and looked at him with a worried and scared look.

"I usually change when I'm angry and in battle." Artyr said to everyone. He sighed as he folded his hands.

"It's not something I'm proud of," He admitted.

"It's also how I survived all those battles," He said, looking around. There was still silence.

"When I was a kid, I always thought I was human until after I was given to my first master to be apprenticed." He continued. He sighed as he tried to repress the god-awful memory.

"I'm sorry that everyone had to see and hear this," He apologized while looking at Yi and Rebecca.

Yi then made a grin.

"Remind me not to piss you off, man." Yi said, walking over to him and then punching him in the shoulder.

"Did you ever kill anyone?" Rebecca asked, still looking at him with that same worried look. Artyr looked at her as Yi looked between the two of them.

"I killed enemies, yes." Artyr admitted. He then leaned forward as he looked at Rebecca's eyes.

"But I swear to you," he looked at both Yi and Rebecca as he spoke.

"I never killed civilians. Never." He said, firmly.

"I killed monsters, clankers, slavers, mercenaries, and even a few bounty hunters when they came after me." He added. Rebecca still had that look on her face.

"You must've been an absolute beast," Yi said, looking at him. Artyr made a pained expression.

"Yeah, but it scared everyone I cared about." Artyr told him.

"My friends, my comrades, my fellow Jedi, my masters, even my-" He hesitated to say 'love'. Instead, he said 'sister'.

"You have a sister?" Rebecca asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Adopted sister," Artyr told her. Just then, Tyler came out in his uniform.

"We'll talk about this later," Artyr ordered.

He looked around him.

"But, please. For the love of all that is good: don't tell anyone about this. I don't want to scare anyone else after today." He requested.

Rebecca slowly nodded.

"Sure," She said, softly.

"I'll keep my lips sealed," Yi said, smiling.

Tyler looked like he was in crisis for a few moments and then nodded.

"Right, boss." He said, simply nodding.

"Alright," Artyr said, nodding. He breathed a sigh of relief. But he still felt bad as his team had now seen his true form.

He then got his uniform and changed. He had used the new underwear, replacing his old and very rank underwear with new and clean undies. He looked at himself in the mirror, seeing his stubble grow. He sighed and put his hands on the sink and leaned on it, like he was about to collapse from the guilt.

"Way to go, Art. You just scared the living shit out of everyone again." He berated himself. He looked at himself, imagining his eyes as a grayish-green and his head being tree-colored brown with his skin thick and rough as opposed to smooth and soft. He imagined the back of his head having a crest underneath all that hair. He imagined his body being even more buff and muscular as well as eight feet tall.

Yet again, he wondered about his origins. The memories coming back.

 _"Master Yoda?" Six-year-old youngling Artyr asked Master Yoda as he walked into his private chambers. Yoda was sitting on a round sofa-like object as he meditated. His eyes were closed as the blinds were down, giving the afternoon sun more of a before twilight look._

 _"What is it, child? Come in. Troubled, I sense ,you are." Master Yoda asked._

 _The boy, a little larger than Yoda walked up to Yoda and sat down at his feet. Yoda closed the door with a wave of his hand._

 _"Why did my parents abandon me?" He asked. Yoda opened his eyes as he sighed._

 _"Discovered you were force-sensitive, they did. Raised you, they could not. Gave you to us, they did." Yoda said._

 _"Did they think that I would become a monster?" He asked. Yoda shook his head._

 _"an idea like that, what makes you think?" He asked, looking at him._

 _"I keep having the nightmares, Master." Artyr explained, sniffling._

 _"They come, every night." He said. Yoda leaned forward, concerned._

 _"'Nightmares' you say? Explain. Best as I can, I will help you." The old green alien said, leaning on his gimmer stick._

 _"I get these dreams of monsters," Artyr explained._

 _"'Monsters'?" Yoda asked, scratching his chin._

 _"They're big, bulky, and scary. I've seen them fight Sith in some dreams. Other times, they fight aliens and humans, sometimes I see them fight droids, big, gigantic droids." Artyr said, thinking._

 _"But, I've seen them fight us, Master." He looked up at Yoda._

 _"I saw them..." Artyr paused, his eyes watering. He sniffled._

 _"I saw them tear people and things apart with their hands and the Force." He said, starting to cry._

 _"They kill everything that comes across their path," He sniffled. Yoda had a concerned expression._

 _"And then, there are nights when I see people kill people." He said, crying._

 _"I see people get stabbed, shot, blown up." He whimpered as the awful images came to mind._

 _"I've seen them get eaten and I saw whole worlds get blown up and people being blown to bits and-" He cried as the awful images came back. Yoda came off of the sofa and stood in front of the boy._

 _"Youngling, look at me." Yoda told him. He did so. He put a hand on the youngling's shoulder. He breathed a deep sigh._

 _"Take a deep breath," He ordered. Artyr did, trying to calm down._

 _"Meaning, these visions may have. Or not." Yoda said, looking at him._

 _"Worry about it, You should not." He continued as though he were a grandfather comforting his grandson._

 _"Jedi, you are. Always you shall be. Defend the citizens of the Republic, you shall, when you are older." He reminded him._

 _"Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate..." Yoda paused._

 _"Leads to suffering," Artyr said, finishing the quote._

 _"The Jedi Code, you should quote, to calm yourself." Yoda proscribed._

 _"Remind you of your future duty, it shall." He advised._

He looked at the mirror.

"I've become one of those monsters, Master." He said, wishing that the sentence would be carried across the stars to Yoda.

He then heard soft knocking on the door.

"Aryr, are you ready?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah!" Artyr said and stepped out. With the team, now clothed in their school uniforms, they set out after Artyr got his lightsaber and put it in his pocket... just in case.

As they went through the dorm's hallways. Artyr swore that Team RWBY's room sounded like there was construction work going on. Artyr knocked on the door. The noises continued.

'Just how in the kriff did they get that much equipment in there?' He wondered. He banged on the door.

"Hey! _Rub'ika_! It's time for class!" he called. The noises stopped and then there was a loud shout.

 _"It's 6:50, you dunce! We're going to be late!"_

The door swung open and the whole team nearly ran him over as they dashed out of the room. The door across from them, containing Team JNPR, consisting of Jaune, Nora Valkyrie (The girl from yesterday), Pyrrha, and Li Ren, opened and they all peered out.

"Class is about to start," Artyr told them.

A loud chorus of 'Shit!' was heard as they all ran. Artyr then shrugged.

He ran after them all, deciding to follow their lead.

XXXX

Glynda Goodwitch and Professor Ozpin watched as Teams ARTY, RWBY, and JNPR ran like bats out of hell for their first class. Ozpin sipped his cup of coffee as he watched. They were in the courtyard of the Academy. The birds were chirping and the flowers were blooming.

"Ah, to be young again." He said, sighing happily. Glynda stood right next to him.

"Being late for class?" Glynda asked, rhetorically. Strangely, she sounded happy to Ozpin. Ozpin chuckled.

"That's the price you pay for oversleeping," Ozpin said, nodding. He took a sip of his coffee.

Glynda watched Artyr Sym run after his classmates. Her anger at him for running late for class was there, but at the same time, she was happy that he was here. Here, she could keep an eye on him. She crossed her arms, smiling at her long-lost firstborn son as he ran out of view.

She then couldn't help but think about her other children. Where were they? Would they also arrive here? Were they even alive?


	16. Chapter 16: The First Day of School

Chapter 16

 **(A/N: What Yi said was in Mandarin. It means 'Motherfucker)**

Artyr stared at the pages of the book in front of his desk. Books weren't necessarily extinct back home. A lot of worlds had books. But, sadly, the books back home were usually holo-books. The pages were written in Basic, common throughout most of the galaxy.

And yet, here he was, on an unknown world, in a corner of the galaxy that was probably in wild space, in an academy, in a classroom, looking down at a textbook written in letters he couldn't even begin to understand.

He looked up as the teacher, Professor Oobleck, was lecturing the class on the history of the world. Everyone was supposed to start studying in class, afterwards, Oobleck would have everyone study outside of class and review the material, as well as give out tests. There would be homework of course.

Artyr tried not to panic. He had faced monsters, aliens, and armies of droids, along with slavers, robbers, bandits, rebels, and other such evils in the galaxy. On the literary side, he was considered a bit well-versed in Galactic and Jedi history, though admittedly, he had started getting a bit rusty.

"Alright, class! Enough studying!" Oobleck announced as he clutched his mug of coffee. He took a sip. He was rather very quick when speaking, the Jedi noticed.

Artyr looked at him. His hair was black and a bit wild in the back as it was spiky. He wore a white shirt and a tie along with black slacks. He also wore glasses.

"Now then, who can tell me how the world began? What are the differing viewpoints?" The teacher asked.

Pyrrha raised her hand.

"Yes! Ms. Nikos!" Oobleck said, coming to Team JNPR's desk in a flash. Artyr blinked, wondering if this man was a force-sensitive. Pyrrha looked surprised as soon as he appeared.

She composed herself and spoke.

"There are several different mythologies and religions that talk about how our world began. One religion in particular speaks of the twin gods: two brothers, actually. One is of light and every value associated with it, the other is dark." Pyrrha said.

"Alrighty then. Religion aside, what's the scientific way that our world began?" Oobleck asked, a bit annoyed that she got into religion.

Artyr raised a hand, having some general scientific knowledge.

"Yes! Mr. Sym, is it?" Oobleck said, appearing right in front of him. The whole team jerked back.

"Yes, sir." Artyr said, nodding.

"You are not from our world, aren't you?" Oobleck asked, leaning his head down as he looked at him as his glasses fell down his nose. There were murmurs around him.

"Yes, sir. I was raised on the planet of Coruscant." Artyr admitted.

"That guy's an alien?" Someone asked.

"We fricking told you all he was!" Nora roared at the person who asked.

"There will be no talking while I'm talking, is that understood?" Oobleck asked, angrily as his voice roared. Silence followed.

"Alright, then. How do worlds form?" Oobleck asked, before taking a sip.

"The general scientific knowledge is that planets are formed in the early days of a solar system. Now, everyone has their own religious viewpoints, I admit." Artyr said, nodding at Pyrrha.

"However, scientific research has theorized that planets form via dust that merges together over the course of many millions of years as the solar system forms with one sun or more forming. This period of a system's history is chaotic as worlds are born from dust. Comets and meteors from planets come into other planets, forming a sort of greenhouse gas for a world's atmosphere. Over the next many millions of years as the planet forms, going from a molten ball of rock to eventually a rocky world that receives water through ice comets that come into the system." Artyr explained.

"Correct!" Oobleck said, impressed.

"I see that on your planet, they have a very advanced education system." Oobleck said with praise.

"Actually, the nation that I come from is comprised of tens of thousands of star systems." Artyr corrected him. Oobleck's jaw dropped. Artyr grimaced as his shoulders rose.

'Probably should've just accepted the comment,' He figured.

"So, you're saying you're from-" Oobleck said, raising a finger in surprise and shock.

"The Galactic Republic, yes." Artyr nodded. Oobleck's eyes widened as he gasped. It was like he was going through an existential crisis.

"Freak!" Cardin yelled at him. All eyes turned to him. He was leaning back in his chair. He had a very haughty and arrogant expression.

"Cardin! Shut up or you're gonna' get your arse kicked!" Tyler roared at him, angrily.

"There will be no fighting or arguing in my classroom!" The professor roared, his composure returning.

"Mr. Winchester, no more outbursts from you from now on or you're going to Ms. Goodwitch's office." Oobleck said.

"And we don't want the head disciplinarian on your rear, now, don't we?" He asked, grinning mischieviously. Someone gulped from a row up and behind Artyr.

"Well, moving on!" Oobleck said, continuing the lesson.

After the lesson, Artyr and his team walked out of the classroom with people giving Artyr odd looks. Mutters of 'freak' were whispered behind his back.

"Hey, freak squad!" Cardin's voice said from behind them. Artyr and his team turned to see Cardin and his team of misfits walking up to him.

"We're not dealing with this shit," Artyr said, turning away.

"C'mon, let's get to the next class." Artyr said to his squad.

"Hey! I'm talking to you, freak-leader!" Cardin yelled.

"What's it like, screwing the rabbit?!" Someone from Cardin's team yelled. Artyr stopped as soon as he heard it. They all did. He heard Rebecca grunt in anger.

There was a chorus of jeers and 'ohhh's from the gathering crowd. Someone was chanting 'fight'.

Artyr turned around. He looked at Cardin in the eye. Right now, he wanted to force-punch Cardin in the face and beat every single one of his bastard friends as they grinned. They had no idea who they were insulting. He wanted to beat the four of these punkish-thugs to a could feel his anger rising. He took a few deep breaths as he tried to calm , an idea came to him.

"You do know Rebecca's the school doctor's granddaughter, right?" Artyr said, stepping forward. There was silence at this.

"What?" One of Cardin's friends said, asking nervously.

"Yeah," Yi said, stepping forward as he nodded.

"So, you saying that shite... good luck surviving the next few weeks." Tyler told him, shaking his head as he spoke. They left, abandoning the now embarrassed Team CRDI.

"Great going, jackass!" One of Cardin's teammates snapped at him.

"Shut up!" Cardin roared.

"I thought you were going to kill his arse, Art." Tyler asked, raising an eyebrow as they walked to the next class.

"After what happened in the team dormroom, I'm not doing that in front of anyone." He told him.

"I let that happen way too damn much in the past," He said, softly.

"Did your friends back home know about this?" Rebecca asked him as they walked.

"Rebecca, not in public." Yi hissed.

"No, I don't think anyone's going to mind." Artyr said, dismissively as they walked.

"In the Order I was a part of, the Council knew, along with those who saw." Artyr explained.

"The first one that saw what happened was my old master." He explained.

"After that, it didn't happen again until the battle of Geonosis." He added.

"So, this only happens when you're really, absolutely, a hundred percent, pissed beyond belief?" Tyler asked.

"And in cases of extreme stress, sure." Artyr said, sighing.

"Damn... you're like a superhero!" Yi commented.

"A 'superhero'?" Artyr asked, confused as he looked at the fox faunus.

"They're people with superpowers. Y'know, kind of like us. Only, they usually use masks and costumes." Yi explained. Artyr went with Yi's explanation.

"The consequences of my actions in my..." Artyr paused.

"'Other form' made the Jedi Council nervous."

"The 'Jedi Council'?" Rebecca asked, curious.

"They're the ones that led my Order," Artyr explained.

"So, you're a space monk, soldier and an alien superhero." Yi said, thinking.

"Knight," Artyr corrected.

"What?" His teammates asked in shock.

"I'm a Jedi Knight, an apprentice to be exact, or a padawan." Artyr explained.

The three stood in shock as he walked forward to the next class.

"He's a knight?!" Tyler exclaimed in shock.

"You ever wanted a knight as a little girl?" Yi asked to his fellow faunus. Rebecca blinked and looked at the fox, blushing.

"I'm not talking about that," She said and started walking along with the others. Wheels started turning in her heard.

XXX

After a long day, their last class was a bit different.

Professor Port was telling a story about himself. The class he was teaching was about hunting and knowing about Grimm, like their various strengths and weaknesses of each type of Grimm.

Peter Port was a somewhat tall, but also plump man. Whatever physical fitness he had definitely become bloated fat. His gray hair was short and neat with his mustache real thick. He spoke in an accent that made Artyr think of old Dromund Kaas from the Second Sith Empire.

Behind the professor was a chalkboard with various drawings of Grimm and their subspecies. There were other chalkboards as well.

What made Artyr uneasy was the live Grimm in the cage next to Port's desk. He couldn't tell what it was as he saw the red glowing eyes glaring hungrily at everyone. Personally, he wanted to reach in there and just kill the darn thing before it broke loose.

'What the kriff is this guy thinking? Bringing a Grimm into a classroom? Someone's going to get killed,' Artyr thought. He then looked down at Team RWBY as they sat. Rubi'ka was goofing off in class, though Professor Port looked like he didn't give a care. Yang was watching and partially laughing at her antics, though she did try to study. Weiss was trying to pay attention but was getting distracted by Ruby's antics while growing furious. Blake was paying attention.

Most of team JNPR was paying attention, save for Nora and maybe Ren. As for team ARTY, pretty much everyone knew Professor Port was full of it.

'There is absolutely no fuckin' way that he did that to a Grimm with a garden hose," Tyler whispered to Yi.

"We have an alien right here who can crush Grimm with his mind, but I'd call this guy's shit a close second." Yi retorted.

"What was that, Mr. Shen?" Professor Port asked, irritated that his greatly-embellished story was being interrupted.

"Uh, nothing, Professor!" Yi said, his voice a bit loud.

"I would suggest paying attention to the lesson, Mr. Shen as opposed to making wild speculation about a fellow classmate." Professor Port scolded him.

"Yes, sir." Tyler and Yi said, nodding.

"Now then, back to the lesson of the story: Professor Port said, pretending nothing had happened.

Artyr tried to pay attention, but he just couldn't believe the utter bantha shit this guy was saying.

"In the end, the Beowulf was no match for my sheer tenacity. And I returned to my village with the beast in captivity and my head held high." Port said, triumphantly as he talked about himself.

"Celebrated... as a hero," The professor exclaimed. He then bowed low as if there would be applause. Quite frankly, there was none as nobody bought his bull-shite story.

"The moral of the story:" Professor Port announced.

"A true huntsman must be honorable," He said, listing the qualities. Artyr looked at Ruby who clearly was acting like an idiot, though he did love her as a sister.

"A true huntsman must be dependable," Port added as Ruby was pretending to snooze during his boring lecture. Weiss was giving Ruby the death glare. Artyr winced. He then closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. In the past three years, he had learned how to be several things: a warrior, a soldier, an officer, a commander, and a xeno-linguist. Whereas, Ruby was pretty much looking like an absolute dunce.

He then swung back into reality as soon as he looked at the open book. He still couldn't read anything. Gosh freaking darn it!

"-strategic, well-educated, and wise!" Port finished. The class was paying attention attentively to this part of the lecture.

"So, who among you believe they are the embodiment of these traits?" The Professor asked. Before any hand could raise, Artyr was about to curse his misfortune just as he was about to slam his desk right as Weiss raised her hand.

"Ah! Mr. Sym!" Professor Port announced. Artyr's hand stopped from closing into a fist and slamming it on the desk. Artyr looked up in shock with an 'oh crap' look.

"So you believe that you're the embodiment of these traits, simply because you are from another planet, eh?" Professor Port said aloud. Everyone began muttering amongst themselves. Artyr grimaced. He shouldn't have let that particular cat out of the bag.

Rebecca gulped as Weiss glared at Artyr in at first shock and then jealousy.

"Perhaps, you could come down here and show off your qualities?" Professor Port said more as an order than a suggestion. Artyr simply nodded and felt Weiss's red hot glare. He wanted to tell her 'Look, it wasn't my idea!'

The Jedi went to the floor standing in front of the cage. He produced his lightsaber.

"Go Art!" Yang cheered.

"Get 'im, Artyr!" Ruby cheered.

"That thing's gonna' die," Tyler said, shaking his head.

Rebecca gulped.

"You do realize he's going to crush that thing with his mind, right?" Yi barked at Professor Port who ignored him. Many of the other classmates looked at him like he was insane. It looked like not everyone found out what happened in the Emerald Forest.

Professor Port looked at Artyr's weapon.

"Where's the blade for that sword, Mr. Sym?" Professor Port asked. In response, Artyr activated the blade and got into a combat ready stance: his legs apart, one foot in front of the other, blade somewhat close to his chest and ready to strike as he gripped it tightly.

A chorus of gasps, awes, and comments came out from various students.

"Whoa!" Yi said in awe.

"What kind of sword is that?" Tyler asked, leaning forward.

"What is that?" Rebecca wondered aloud.

"I've never seen anything like that," Blake commented, looking at the blade as it rose six feet high into the air, the power of it humming.

"So that's that laser-sword you kept talking about!" Weiss said to Ruby as she was looking at it in awe.

"Yeah, he cut through a whole tail section of a bullhead with it!" Ruby said, excitedly.

"Bets!" Yi yelled, standing up and looking around. The other students looked at the apparently new bookkeeper.

"Bets on how long the Grimm lives. Any takers?" Yi asked, extending his hand. Immediately, a bunch of rolled up pieces of paper that Artyr assumed were 'lien' were thrown at him.

"Mr. Shen, sit back down, you're embarrassing yourself!" Professor Port scolded, pointing at him.

"Put ten lien down for about a second!" Yang yelled at Yi, throwing a lien.

"Nah! Make that a fifty lien for none!" Tyler said to Yi, handing him a lien note.

"There will be no gambling in my class!" Professor Port roared. Everyone shirked at his tone, save Artyr, who merely grinned as he turned his head away from them.

'As much as I hate to say it: these guys are idiots. You don't simply bet on something like this.' Artyr thought.

"Now, then:" Professor Port said after clearing his throat as the students calmed down.

He then grabbed some kind of reaching object as Artyr stared at the thing that would charge at him when unleashed. It sounded like a Gammorean almost. He listened closely. For all he knew, it could very well be a pig-like warrior-slave of the Hutt families.

The professor opened the cage and then this white-armored, black skinned, red-eyed Grimm came flying out of the cage at full speed. The padawan barely had time to react.

"Son of a bi-" He started to say as he leaped over its head, the Grimm crashed into a desk, breaking it, Weiss, Ruby, Yang, and Blake jumped back cautiously. Landing on his feet, Artyr got a good look at it from the rear. It was like some kind of pig... with about four tusks coming from the front.

"What the heck kind of Grimm is that?!" He roared at Professor Port.

"That's a Boarbatusk, Mr. Sym. You would know if you paid attention in class!" Professor Port said, standing on his desk. Oh, some brave soul he was, standing on that frigging desk!

He then saw that it was noticing the other students.

"Oh, no you don't!" He roared extending his unequipped hand towards the Grimm , as if reaching for it. He then turned the hand inward, curling it towards himself. The Grimm stopped in its tracks before it could chase after the girls up the steps as everyone screamed in awe, shock, fear, and delight.

Then, the Jedi raised his hand, the Boarbutusk rising into it as well. It squealed in shock and anger as it hovered helplessly, struggling against the Force-grip it was in. Artyr turned it around to see it from the front.

Everyone looked at him in shock.

"Well, I've never had _this_ happen in class before." Professor Port said, dumbfounded.

Artyr brought it close to him, inspecting it from a certain distance. Its eyes were definitely red and the entire front of it was covered in the white mask with red markings with its sides covered as well.

"Aren't you interesting?" Artyr commented rhetorically. The thing squealed at him. He could feel its anger in the Force, sense its apparent choosing of him to devour. As soon as he sensed its choice to eat him, Artyr gave it a glare.

"Die!" He roared in anger, leaping into the air again, raising the blade over his head while losing the grip on the Grimm. The Grimm was going down just as Artyr forced his blade down in a slashing motion, the hot blade going through the Grimm's armor and skin like butter.

The Grimm died with a brief squeal as it was cut in half from the top down like a butcher. The lightsaber's blade almost touched the floor, Artyr able to stop it from reaching the floor as the now-cleaved in two Boarbutusk's halves split apart like a banana from each other and fell to either side, collapsing on the floor.

"It cut right through the armor!" The Professor said in shock. Artyr looked at him.

"'Armor'?" Artyr asked, quizzically as he deactivated the blade. The professor snapped out of his shock.

"Boarbutusks have armor on the front of their bodies as well as on its sides. Not every blade can cut through them and you have to go for its belly." Professor Port said.

"You, young man, have a very interesting weapon. Tell me, where did you get it, much less what it is?" He asked, excitedly. Artyr turned around to see everyone looking at him in shock and awe. He inwardly gritted his teeth. He had no intention of being a celebrity. Then, he saw Weiss's jealous and angry expression.

"It's called a 'lightsaber', Professor. I'm part of a special order that uses these things. They're powered by what's called 'Kyber crystals' which can only be found on certain worlds with deposits. They can come in various colors, save red, for that's actually a synthetic crystal and definitely not used by us." Artyr said, showing him the inside.

"Very interesting!" Professor Port said, impressed. Weiss huffed. Artyr wanted to grimace.

"So, is class over, Professor?" Artyr asked, putting the lightsaber away. He wanted this over.

"Why, yes. Yes it is!" Professor Port said.

"Class dismissed!" He called. Almost everyone made a sigh of relief, right before the next announcement.

"Mr. Yi, you must give everyone back their money or else you'll be escorted to the headmaster's office." Professor Port said.

"Aw, man!" Yi said, as he started to give everyone back their money. Yang grinned as she got back her ten. Tyler snuck a few more pieces of lien than he should have had before into his pocket.

"Yo! Where's my twenty?!" A student roared in disbelief as he walked up to Yi who looked scared crapless. Rebecca sighed as she shook her head. Today was just crazy.

"No fighting in my class!" Professor yelled at the two as (almost) everyone got their money back. Artyr walked out.

"That was so cool to see that blade in action!" Yang said, excitedly. Artyr was about to explain about the lightsaber's construction, the kind of crystals that powered it and everything else related to it, but then he saw Weiss storming off with Ruby chasing after her.

"I'll see you all later," Artyr said, walking after Rub'ika. He could feel both Ruby's concern and Weiss's jealousy and anger. He could understand her anger... and her jealousy, mostly. He had been jealous of the heroism and praise of the other older Jedi knights and masters in the Order after they did something good. But, in the end, he worked it out, figuring they were just like him: doing their duty... except for Anakin... now that he had that dream about Master Skywalker, he was wondering what Anakin Skywalker's real motives were.

He had a worrisome and very troubling thought as he paused: what if Weiss would turn into the next Anakin Skywalker and turn on her team? Or was it someone else that he should be worried about? maybe even more than one person? Too many thoughts in so few days. He had to observe everything and see. What he didn't see was Rebecca going away from everyone else as well.

The Jedi heard Ruby talk to Weiss.

"You've been acting like a child since the forest, and since then- you've still been acting like one!" Weiss said.

"Weiss, if this is about both her antics and me being picked for what happened." Artyr started to say as he turned the corner.

"And screw you! I would've done a lot better than you, you freak!" Weiss shouted at him.

"Hey! You can't talk to him like that!" Ruby whined at her. Artyr sighed as he told Ruby to calm down.

"For crying out loud, I was just about to hit my desk when he called me, that's it!" Artyr told Weiss. The heiress scoffed.

"You've been showing off since you got here, with all your fancy powers and your sword!" Weiss barked at him.

"It's not that simple being me, Weiss." Artyr said, crossing his arms.

"Oh, really?!" Weiss said, scoffing.

"Really," Artyr stated, flatly.

"And you," Weiss said, her voice rising in pitch and tone.

"Aren't fit to be our leader!" She shouted to Ruby. Artyr looked between them as the much smaller girls argued between themselves.

It reminded him of something from what seemed like a long time ago.

 _Blake, the clone not the girl, stood in front of an angry captain. The rain was pouring down outside of the command center. Artyr had noticed it on the way to the chow hall and started to go towards them. It had been a full six hours since the last battle. He had visited the medical bay._

 _"Do you have any idea how many of our men we lost here so far since he got here?!" The captain said angrily at the commander._

 _"Something wrong, soldier?" Artyr asked, wearing his Commando armor that was dirtied and had black blaster marks on it. The captain glared at him as he stood at attention along with his superior. They saluted him._

 _"Sir," They said._

 _"You're King, right?" Artyr said, after saluting the captain. The captain grunted a 'yeah'. The commander punched his shoulder._

 _"Yes, sir." King affirmed in a grizzled way._

 _"What's the matter, soldier. I'm open to-" Artyr started to say. The captain then berated his superior officer._

 _"You bastard! I lost a whole kriffing platoon, Beta Company lost two platoons! And Ceti Company lost about half of its guys! I'm not even going to mention Delta and Echo Companies!" King roared at him. Clones from the nearby hall were peering from behind the corners to see what was going on._

 _Guilt tore at the fourteen-year-old Jedi's heart. He tried to hide it in front of his two subordinates._

 _Memories of the day's battle were coming back._

 _The plan was supposed to be that they would take a village near a ridge in the country side. There were two roads in and two roads out, making the village and its surrounding area strategically important. Of course, Master Almira divided her forces. The regiment that the 327th battalion was a part of, the 59th, was divided by about fifteen kilometers. The ridge overlooking the village was supposed to have been cleared by an airstrike as it was an artillery position. Instead, it wasn't, as the Separatist artillery battery shelled the village killing clones as the droids advanced through the rain. Artyr had led the charge to take the hill, securing it as a second objective, whereas earlier he should've diverted a company or two to take the ridge in the first place before they arrived at said village._

 _"Blake told you that ridge should've been taken as the first objective! And look what happened!" The clone roared._

 _"Actually, I advised-" Blake started to say, trying to save the commander's face._

 _"Shut the kriff up, Blake!" King cut the commander off._

 _"This guy's a kriffing joke!" He added, looking at the Jedi as he walked up to him, breaking protocol and courtesy as he stood over the Jedi, towering over him by a foot._

 _"Maybe you should go back to playing 'Commando'," King said, angrily._

 _"You're out of line, Captain!" Blake roared. The men watched in shock at what was going on._

 _"Nah, he's right." Artyr said tears started to well in his eyes. His voice started to break._

 _"I'm sorry that this happened, King. I really am." The Jedi Padawan said, honestly._

 _"I thought that ridge overlooking our position was clear as I was told that there had been an airstrike yesterday." Artyr explained, sad._

 _"You thought?! We lost a shit ton of guys today! The whole kriffing regiment would've lost a third of itself" The captain roared at him, his eyes full of hate._

 _Artyr started to pant in sadness and anger._

 _"I didn't know," He said, softly as he shook his head._

 _"You're not fit to be an officer and you're not even fit to be a commander!" King roared at him._

 _"I said that's enough, you little shit!" Blake roared as he punched his brother. Other clones started coming in trying to separate the two as the officers fought. Artyr walked off, thinking about what he had done. How in the hell was he going to learn from this?!_

"Hey!" he heard someone snap their fingers. He blinked as he shook his head. Ruby stood in front of him with a worried look

"You've been saying 'I'm sorry', over and over again while you spaced out." She said, her eyes held worry in them.

Artyr's eyes widened. It happened again. He inwardly sighed.

'I really need to control this,' He thought.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

He looked around. Weiss had walked away. Apparently, she had gone off in a huff.

"Yeah, sorry about that. This whole thing reminds me of something I faced when I was fourteen." Artyr said, rubbing his eyes.

"She's right, Ruby. You've got some growing up to do. And that means being responsible for your actions," He said, looking at Ruby. Ruby made a shocked look. Artyr went down to her eye level.

"Let me explain, Rub'ika." Artyr started to say.

"It took three years of war for me to grow into a man. I made a lot of mistakes." Artyr confessed, thinking of that day so long ago.

"In peace and war, you have to take responsibility for your actions as I said before. You also have to learn self-discipline." He explained.

"Before the war started, I used to stay up all night watching holofilms. After the war began, I kicked the habit as I realized that I needed to start growing up." Artyr said, giving an example.

"I used to not like military tactics, but I learned that it was going to be important as my Order had been given command of a whole army of genetically engineered soldiers. _A whole army_." He emphasized the last three words.

Ruby looked at him in shock.

"I had to study tactics, military history, strategy and the whole nine-yards." He explained further.

"Not only that, but you're going to have to learn from your mistakes. That's something you're going to have to learn a lot as you will fail throughout life." Artyr explained in a fatherly sort of way.

Ruby rubbed the back of her neck.

He heard something breathing behind him. He turned to see Professor Ozpin behind him.

"Oh, Professor!" The two said as Artyr stood up at attention.

"Oh, don't mind me, Mr. Sym. Go on." Ozpin said, dismissively.

"Actually, I was about to go." Artyr said, yawning.

"It's getting late and-" he then realized something.

"We need to talk about something, later." Artyr said, emphasizing 'later'.

"My office in the morning," Ozpin said, nodding.

"Right," Artyr said, nodding back. He turned to Ruby.

"Remember: learn from your mistakes, self-discipline and..." Artyr paused thinking.

"Right, be a good example to your team." Artyr said, remembering what he wanted to say as well.

"Right," Ruby said, nodding slowly.

"See you later!" Artyr said, walking away.

The Professor and the student watched him go.

"Professor Ozpin, can I ask you something?" Ruby asked.

"Yes?" The Professor asked, turning to him.

"Did you make a mistake when you let me into Beacon Academy early?" Ruby asked, concerned.

Ozpin smiled.

 _'Guess it's my turn to have a fatherly talk with her,'_ He figured.


	17. Chapter 17: Explain the Sith

Chapter 17

(A/N: Here's the source of where I got the Sith code from:

 **wiki/Code_of_the_Sith/Legends)**

It was the morning of the second day. Artyr walked towards the headmaster's office after breakfast with plenty of time before class. He planned on talking to Ozpin about the Sith that he had in the school. Should've done it after he got his check-up. Not only that, but now that he thought about it... why the frick did she need his blood? He shivered. He hoped it wasn't anything immoral.

As he was walking past the school medical bay, he saw something out of the corner of his eye as he felt a presence suddenly appear in the Force. He stepped back, dodging the fist of the old woman in her labcoat.

"You piece of shit!" She roared at him.

"I didn't touch her, Sith! Hell, I don't even sense the dark side in her!" He roared back as he took a few steps back. She took a stance in front of him.

"You changed into that other form of yours right in front of her," The Sith snarled, her yellow eyes glaring at him.

Artyr looked at her in fake confusion. The sun shone through the windows, giving off a sort of heavenly ray.

"I have no idea what you're talking ab-"

"Don't lie to me, Sym! I know what you are!" She shouted, pointing at him. He started to look at her in shock.

 _'How in the kriff does she know about that?'_ He thought.

"I'm not in the mood for fighting you right now and I really don't want to get kicked out, Sithspit." Artyr said, spitting out the last word like something bad in his mouth.

"I'm not the one who starts wrecking shit as soon as he arrives!" She scoffed.

"You Syms are all alike!" She bellowed at him. He blinked as he tilted his head.

"Syms'? I'm the only Sym in the whole galaxy, 'doc'." Artyr told her. She laughed. And then she stopped laughing as soon as she saw his expression.

"You really don't know, do you? Your precious council never told you?" She asked, walking forward. Artyr looked at her.

"I was named after an Aogust Sym, one of a master's friends." Artyr explained.

"Is that what they told you? Are you sure it's not what your parents named you?" She asked, still walking forward as she spoke in a menacing tone.

"I don't like what you're saying," He said, shaking his head as he stepped back, his hand going for his lightsaber.

"They never told you what you really are, did they? None of them: not your master, not your council... no one." She said, shaking her head. She laughed.

"You're a special kind of Jedi, kid. The kind that even Jedi fear." She said, serious. Artyr gritted his teeth as he dipped his head in anger. She was talking shit. She had to be.

"You change when you're extremely angry or under certain levels of stress," She said, counting with her fingers.

"You can't be killed by solid weapons and bullets, and even blaster fire and I'm willing to bet that not even chemical or biological weapons can so much as give you a cough." She said. Artyr shook his head as the old memories came running back. All the deaths that he saw, the rounds that hit him only for him to stand up and fight again... everything terrible.

"You don't know me," He said, his voice trying hard not to break.

"Tell me, how many died while you still lived?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Shut up," He said, his emotions becoming confused. The Sith scoffed.

"I'm not part of a group that's tried to take over the galaxy more times that I can count and killed or ordered the deaths and suffering of trillions of people!" Artyr countered, yelling at her, his lightsaber now in hand and pointed at her.

She snarled and bared her teeth as she growled.

"You think every Sith is bad?! You think all we do is kill, lie, cheat and steal? You think every Sith is bad and every Jedi's good?" She asked. She reached into her pocket. Artyr made a combat stance, ready to draw his lightsaber. She then flung what was in her pocket at him. He caught it in mid-air with the Force.

It hovered between them. Artyr saw the blackish-red pyramid shape made of crystal and metal.

"A Sith holocron," He whispered. He heard about these kinds of objects that contained Sith 'wisdom' and knowledge. There were a few back in the Jedi Temple under lock and key and a lot of security. Why they were still around, he didn't know.

"That particular holocron once belonged to my master's master." She said, serious. Her tone of menace was gone.

"I've had it with you jackholes thinking all we do is terrible shit," The Sith said, angrily.

"Ever heard of the Sith Holocaust? The Massacre of Clan Bena?" She asked, rhetorically.

The Jedi looked at her with a questioning look.

"Some of us want to be left in peace, kid. I've spent fifty years here on this planet trying to do just that."

"Fifty. Years." She spat.

"I've raised a family that has no idea of what our galaxy is like... what goes on out there, and all its horrors." She said, almost softly.

"And I'll be damned if I have a Jedi come after us for the sins of my ancestors in the Sith, much less a Sym!" She spat, her anger returning.

"If it gives you a bit of comfort: I never knew my parents, lady. They gave me up after I was born." Artyr told her. She didn't say anything and simply looked at him.

"We'll talk after you view that holocron. I want you to watch all of it, from beginning to end. I don't recomend watching it in the presence of anyone." The Sith doctor ordered.

"Not even Rebecca, you understand?" She said, glaring at him. He grunted in response. He then force-pulled the holocron into his hand and felt its touch. He looked at it and then at her. He found her standing right in front of him as soon as he looked up.

"And remember what I told you:" She threatened.

"I don't care if you're a Sym, Mandalorian, or whatever:" She continued as she got into his face. He could feel her hot breath.

 _"Don't touch my granddaughters,"_ She threatened with a menacing hiss.

"Doctor Dorin, I hope to the Gods that you're not threatening a student." Another woman's hiss was heard from behind the Jedi. Both the Jedi and the Sith turned to see Ms. Goodwitch with a very displeased expression. She held her wand in her hand like she was going to use it as a baton. Dorin moved away from Artyr, getting out of his face.

The Jedi clutched the holocron with his hand, trying to hide it from view.

"Professor Goodwitch, I was just reminding Mr. Sym here-" Mrs. Dorin said, providing a faux charming smile as she spoke.

"-That I'm pretty much not allowed to date her granddaughters that attend the school." Artyr finished for her with also a fake smile. Her eyes glanced at the Jedi with a look that said 'Damn straight,' and went back to looking at the witch. Glynda snorted.

"I hope so as I heard a lot of shouting from down the halls," The professor said, pushing up her glasses.

"Mr. Sym, shouldn't you be in class?" she asked, crossing her arms. Artyr pretended as if nothing had happened.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to Professor Ozpin about something that came up." The Jedi said. Arlina's face flushed. She looked like she wanted to kill him while Artyr hid his smug look.

 _'Yeah, I'm talking to the headmaster about you. Kiss my bare bottom, you old_ hag.' He thought, happily.

"Well, I'll escort you there and back to your first class." Professor Goodwitch said more as an order than as an offer.

"Sure, ma'am." Artyr said.

"I assume that there will be no further antagonization between you two?" Goodwitch said, looking between the two different people.

"I would hate for you both to be kicked out of the school." Goodwitch said with her veiled threat, raising an eyebrow as she smiled. Artyr nervously chuckled as Doctor Dolin muttered something unpleasant in Mandalorian. She went back to the medical bay without a word.

"Now, then. Let's be off." She said, nudging her head.

"That spat of yours sounded very serious," The middle-aged woman said, a bit worried. Artyr looked at her as they walked.

"What happened between me and her is none of your concern," He said, putting the holocron in his pocket. The sharp edges of it bit into his outer thigh.

"I understand that the doctor's granddaughter's attend the academy. I assume she is quite worried." The professor said, urging him to keep walking.

"She warned me about staying away from them when I had my check-up."

"It also sounded like she knows your type," Glynda said, still worried. Artyr sighed.

"This is something I have to talk to the headmaster about," He said. She stopped him with her hand on his arm.

"It's something about her, isn't it?" Glynda asked, firmly. Her eyes stared into his soul

"What is it?" She asked, her eyes ordering him to answer.

"This is between me and the headmaster," Artyr said, attempting to go forward.

"I'm part of Ozpin's group, Mr. Sym. Whatever he needs to know, I have to know." She told the boy.

"I don't want to cause a panic here," Artyr said.

"Funny, seeing as how you destroyed a city street, killed two Grimm so far with your mind, and you used your powers as well as sliced a Boarbatusk in two with one slash from head to butt." Glynda said, her head moving as she talked. She sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Tell me. Now." she ordered. Artyr looked at her. She had no clue as to what this school was harboring, didn't she? She had no idea of what kind of person, what kind of monster was in the school medical bay- tinkering around with Force-knows-what.

"What do you know about your school's current doctor?" Artyr asked, looking at her seriously. Glynda looked at him.

"She came with high reccomendations from a hospital in downtown Vale, had a highly successful medical career, wrote a number of interesting papers," She answered. Her eyes widened.

"You're not seriously suspecting her of something wrong, are you?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Remember what I said when I talked about how Sith have yellow eyes?" Artyr retorted. She looked at him.

"Have you noticed anything strange about her? Anything off?" He asked, stepping forward.

"You're not seriously saying what I think you're saying..." Glynda said, shaking her head in disbelief as she took a step back.

"Ms. Goodwitch: somehow, your boss got a Sith into this school... A Sith that has no business being here, on this planet." The Jedi said, stepping forward.

"None of the students have reported anything akin to any kind of abuse from her." Glynda said, flatly. But, he could also see that she was thinking.

"Are you sure?" Artyr asked, lowering his head.

"Positive," she answered, nodding.

"We're definitely taking this to Ozpin," She said, sighing in frustration.

The two stormed off towards the headmaster's office. They went to the massive tower outside of the building they had been in and took an elevator up the tower. After exiting it, Glynda opened the front doors to the headmaster's office with her wand, forcing it open.

"Oz, we need to ta-" She started to say until she saw that there was a meeting going on.

Artyr looked around to see that there was machinery visible beneath the floor in this massive chamber. He looked around in awe. This place would put the Council chamber to shame.

In the back, overlooking a window were several men. Three were holographic, one was Ozpin, obviously, but the last man was leaning against the wall, an alcoholic flask in hand. He wore a white long-sleeved shirt with pants that were worn. His shirt was open, revealing a sort of cross hanging around his neck. He wore a cape, like Ruby. He also had graying hair and a stubble. The man leaning against the wall looked up as he was about to take the next sip.

"Son of a bitch," The man said in a grizzled tone. Judging by his eyes and the way he stood up, it almost looked like he knew him from somewhere, though Artyr was darn sure that he never met this guy in his life. The other holographic representations looked at the newcomers along with Ozpin.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot I was meeting you, Mr. Sym." Ozpin said.

"You should've knocked, Glynda." One of the men said, his image floating on Ozpin's apparent desk.

Artyr looked at the men. All of them were middle-aged. One was blonde with a beard and mustache. He wore a formal attire and looked a bit noble. Another man had black hair that had gray temples and was tall. He wore some kind of formal military uniform. The last man was strangely blackened... as if he didn't want his identity known.

"Everyone, this is Jedi Padawan Artyr Sym, the newest member of our little group." Ozpin introduced as the two walked up.

Artyr slightly bowed his head.

"That's the one who nearly caught the getaway driver from three days ago? The kid with the strange glowing sword?" The military man asked, his head turning to Ozpin.

"The same kid who saved my niece," The gray-haired man said, looking at him as he crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry if I sound impolite, who are you?" Artyr asked, looking around.

"Well, we're what is pretty much the core of Ozpin's group. I think we've yet to have a much more formal name." The military man said, nodding.

"I'm Leonardo Lionheart, the headmaster for Haven Academy in Mystral," The blonde haired man said, smiling. Artyr smiled as he looked at the man as he nodded. As he looked at the man, he felt the searing pain through his skull.

He grunted in pain and clutched his head.

 _He saw the headmaster for Haven Academy sneaking into an office and going behind a desk. He looked scared as the moon shone through the windows. He looked up in fear as he saw something in the doorway._

 _The thing looked like some kind of Grimm, but none that Artyr had seen before. It was an orb with long tentacles and a pillar-like body underneath._

 _An image appeared on the globe's front. Artyr saw something... unnerving. A red mist was inside the thing's head as white scales covered it partially. Its head was like an orb._

 _"And where might you be going?" A woman's voice asked, seductive and smooth._

 _"Uh, your Grace! I was just looking for something." Leonardo said._

 _"Leonardo, do you have something you wish to tell me?" The thing asked. Now that Artyr thought about it, he realized that someone was speaking through it like a communicator._

 _Leonardo looked frightened as he hunched over._

 _"It was Cinder!" Lionheart exclaimed._

 _"She altered the plan! Ozpin showed up here!" He said, scared, putting his hands._

 _"Qrow and several students. One of them with the silver eyes. The White Fang attacked..." It looked like he was... blaming everything but himself. That's when Artyr realized what was going on: Leonardo Lionheart, the man he just met was working for someone else... and by that woman's voice...it looked like he was working for none other than Salem!_

 _"I don't know if it looks like they'll be able to recover the relic," He said. The thing hovered towards him. The man cowered before the monster as it floated towards him._

 _"Your Grace, I can still be of some assistance!" He pleaded, stepping back and then going around his desk as he spoke. The dim light of the lamp nearby lighting his face as he begged for his life._

 _"If I leave now, I can avoid the authorities and find you." The man said, begging._

 _"I can do whatever it takes!" He said, scared like a child. There was silence from Salem._

 _"Your Grace?" He asked, scared as if he was going to be beaten._

 _He then grunted and roared as he extended his arm, producing an object on the arm that looked like it could shoot projectiles or disk. The thing swiped at his arm, knocking the object aside. It clattered to the floor._

 _The man clutched his arm in pain as he looked up terrified. He looked at his only weapon and then bolted, trying to get away. The Grimm caught the man's leg and that's when Artyr noticed the tail from Lionheart's butt._

 _'He's a faunus?!' He thought. Lionheart fell to the ground. He got up and whimpered._

 _"Please, ma'am! I'll do anything!" He said, his voice rising in fear._

 _"I can still be useful!" He said, scared for his life. The Grimm's other tentacles were raised, revealing sharp dagger-like ends that aimed at him. The man kept screaming 'please' as the tentacles wrapped around him and dragged him towards the Grimm, embracing it in a death hug as they killed him in a brutal manner._

 _"Coward,' Salem's voice said as the body dropped to the floor._

 _Just then, he saw a very disturbing image._

 _He saw a woman leaning against the armrest of a throne. She had white hair that was arranged in a very strange and regal manner. She wore a black robe that covered her form. Her skin was ashen pale. Her eyes were mostly black with red irises. She looked both beautiful and terrifying. Her eyes then looked right at him._

He blinked as he gasped. He felt a hand on his back and looked to his right to see Goodwitch looking at him like a mother worried about her child.

"Artyr, are you okay?" She asked, her tone showing her worry. He nodded as he got away from her.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just another migraine." He groaned as he clutched his head.

He looked up.

"Sorry about that." he said, looking up. Lionheart, now alive, looked at him worried as the others showed their concern.

"As I was about to say: I'm James Ironwood, I command both the Atlas military and Atlas Academy." The military man said.

"General," Artyr said, snapping to attention before saluting. Ironwood raised an eyebrow as he saluted back.

"Padawan Sym was fighting a war outside of our solar system before he came to our world. He's a commander in the Grand Army of the Galactic Republic." Ironwood looked at Artyr interested.

"Really? You're a commissioned officer and a Jedi Knight?" Ozpin, Glynda, and the gray-haired man's faces all fell or paled. Ironwood's eyes widened at what he said and then he tried to maintain his composure. Lionheart blinked and looked confused. The shady man looked like he was silently laughing his head off.

Artyr looked at him in shock.

"How the kriff do you know about my order being called 'Jedi Knights' as well, if you don't mind me asking, sir?" Artyr asked, arms crossed over his chest.

"Lucky guess, on my part. I assumed that 'padawan' must be another name for 'apprentice'." Ironwood said. Artyr looked around at all of them. Something weird was going on.

"I'm sure you must have a lot of stories from the front," Ironwood said.

"I'll tell you all about it over a few bottles of Correlian ale, sir." Artyr said. A sharp female intake of breath was heard. He very slowly turned to Goodwitch to see her in a very pissed state as she crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Artyr Sym, we will have a talk about underage drinking after this meeting. Is that understood, young man?"She said, angrily through her teeth. Her mere glare made him want to urinate his pants.

The gray-haired man chuckled.

"Moving on," Ozpin said, continuing as if nothing had happened.

"I was just about to introduce the headmaster for Shadow Academy in Vacuo-" He started to say.

"Save it, Oz. I'd rather keep a lid on it for a bit." The distorted image said in a electronic gender-neutral voice.

"Are you sure about that?" Oz asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What's the fun in letting everyone know who you are?" The figure said, shrugging.

"Very well," Ozpin said. He then turned to the caped man.

"Qrow? Want to introduce yourself to the class."

"I'm not a kid anymore, Oz." Qrow grumbled.

"Qrow? As in Qrow Branwen? Ruby and Yang's uncle?" Artyr asked, stepping forward. So that was their uncle.

Qrow gave him an interested look.

"How'd you-? Never mind, it was the girls, right?" Qrow asked.

"Yeah, Taiyang told me about you. I'm surprised that you're here at this hour. I thought you would be teaching over at Ruby's old school?" Artyr asked, jerking his thumb back.

"Qrow is an operative of this group. A very skilled operative." Ozpin explained.

"Who gets drunk worse than a skunk," The Shadow Academy headmaster muttered.

"I heard that!" Qrow bellowed at the blackened image.

"Now then, I believe that you want to tell me something?" Ozpin said, trying to get the group to focus on the topic at hand. He looked at Artyr, as did everyone.

"You mentioned that we have a, and I quote from Glynda here," Ironwood said before clearing his throat.

"'A Sith Problem,'?" He asked, looking at him.

"A 'Sith'? What's a 'Sith'?" Lionheart asked, looking a bit worried. . Artyr sighed. He really was trying to hide his cowardice, was he?

"Do you want the long version or the short version of the answer to that question?" Artyr asked the group of headmasters.

"Well, I think we've got plenty of time." Qrow said, stretching.

"Actually, I have a meeting with some of my faculty in a few minutes. I've got to go, sorry." Lionheart said, looking around.

"Till we talk again, Leonardo." Ozpin said, nodding. Lionheart nodded and his image winked out.

"I think I'll stay and hear what he has to say," The Shadow Academy headmaster/mistress said, looking around, gesturing as the mysterious figure spoke.

"Myself as well. Anything that's a threat to this world is something worth considering." Ironwood said, crossing his arms.

Qrow was about to take another swig when Glynda raised her wand and did a flick of the wrist. Immediately, the flask flew from his hand and went to Goodwitch's hand.

"No more, Qrow. Not now." She said, angrily.

"Bitch," Qrow muttered, stretching. Just then, the image of the Shadow Academy headmaster flickered.

"Aw, son of a-!" The figure bellowed and then winked out. Everyone looked at it.

"He's not under attack is he?" Artyr asked, pointing

"Uh, no. That's actually a technical malfunction. These things tend to happen." Ozpin said, a bit embarrassed.

"Anyhoo, tell us about these 'Sith'. I heard that they're your Order's enemies." Ironwood said.

"The Sith actually used to be Jedi. After the Order was founded, a group of them were either exiled or left for parts unknown. Ultimately, they came across an alien race far from our old homeworld."

"The Jedi have a homeworld?"

"Technically, it's where our order was founded." Artyr explained, then continued.

"The race they came across were called the 'Sith'. The rogue, or rather as we call them 'dark' Jedi interbred with them, becoming their rulers and putting into practice their philosophy." Artyr said.

"And that would be?" Qrow asked, spinning his hand for him to go on.

"To quote the Sith code:" Artyr said.

" _Peace is a lie, there is only passion._

 _Through passion, I gain strength.  
_ _Through strength, I gain power.  
_ _Through power, I gain victory.  
_ _Through victory, my chains are broken.  
_ _The Force shall free me."_

Artyr said, quoting the Sith Code.

"Well... sounds..." Qrow said, shrugging.

"Okay, I guess."

"Not when with that same code, they've dominated whole star systems, forming their own empire through brute force and cunning treachery." Artyr pointed out. Qrow gritted his teeth.

"Our order, the Jedi, didn't hear from them for a long time until after they swore allegiance to the then-newly formed Galactic Republic." Artyr said. He then explained the long history of war between the two groups. How the Sith empires rose and fell, of the Sith using the Mandalorians in their war against the Jedi and the Republic, of the fall of many Jedi to the dark side, and the many atrocities that the Sith had done such as the destruction of the metropolitan world of Taris, the Sacking of Coruscant more than three thousand years ago. He described each atrocity in brutal and graphic descriptions.

Ozpin was silent throughout all of it.

"And now," Artyr said.

"The Sith have returned after almost being destroyed more than a thousand years ago. Currently, we know of two: Count Dooku, a former member of our order, and his master. His identity, we don't know." Artyr explained.

"I'm sensing there's two sides to this story, though." Qrow said. Artyr looked at him angrily.

"We Jedi made our mistakes, yes. But that was then. Besides, the Sith are a lot worse." Artyr said.

"You're sure?" Qrow asked, not impressed. Artyr looked at him. He didn't want to talk about the Sith Holocaust that the Jedi Masters talked about amongst themselves, but never to the younger members of the Order.

"And this person that you nearly captured... you think the individual was a Sith based on the color of the eyes?" Ozpin asked.

"Every Sith when immersed in the dark side of the Force has a change of eye color. Yellow eyes is typical. Though, I have heard that the more evil and worse Sith have red eyes." Artyr said. Ozpin and Qrow visibly shuddered as though they remembered something terrible.

"The Force... that's that energy field that you use for your powers, yes? Unlike our people's semblances and auras?" Ironwood asked. Artyr nodded.

"I see Professor Ozpin told you about it," The Jedi said impressed.

"I read the interrogation reports."

"Okay, so the history lesson's over. You think there's a Sith here." Qrow said, recapping.

"Yeah. Two in fact." Artyr said. Qrow, Ozpin, and Ironwood looked at him.

"Two?! What do you mean 'Two?!" Ironwood said, bewildered. Ozpin looked like he was sweating and wanting to get as far away from this as possible.

"Nah, there can't be two! A lot of people on this planet have yellow eyes, dipwad!" Qrow explained.

"So, I found out." Artyr said, thinking of Blake.

"Well, I don't think that bullhead's pilot was a Sith. Would've met you with a blade of his or her own like yours, right?" Qrow asked. Artyr shrugged.

"Maybe," He said.

"Or maybe the person in question was a kriffing coward." Artyr suggested.

"This other sith, who is it?" Ironwood asked, trying to divert the question.

"Our own school doctor: Arlina Dorin." Glynda Goodwitch said, looking around angrily. There was dead silence.

Qrow then started laughing. Artyr and Glynda glared at him.

"This is fucking serious, Qrow." Glynda said, gritting her teeth.

"I know, I know. Because, the thing is-" Qrow said, wiping his eyes as tears started to fall.

"I knew that she was something, but damn-Oz." Qrow said, turning to Ozpin.

"Qrow," Ozpin warned, glaring at him.

"You told me she was from off-world, but you didn't tell me she was a kriffing Sith!" Qrow said, laughing.


	18. Chapter 18: Explain Yourself Artyr

Chapter 18

(A/N: Hope you all like the chapter)

Artyr and Professor Goodwitch looked at Ozpin in shock. Ironwood looked at Ozpin and sighed.

'Kriffing A, Ozpin.' Artyr though.

Artyr felt betrayed. He had known there was a Sith and not only didn't he deal with her... he had hired her as the school doctor! Just what the kriff was he thinking?! He wanted to fulfill his earlier punishment then and there.

"Damn it, Oz. Why'd you hire her?" Ironwood asked.

"You knew she was from off-world this whole time and you didn't tell me?!" Glynda roared, getting up to Ozpin's desk and slamming her hands down on the desk facing the man as she got into his face.

Qrow laughed, nervously.

"You're in deep shit, Oz." Ozpin sighed as Qrow spoke those words.

"I can explain," He said, raising his hands as he spoke in his defense.

"Tell me why I shouldn't report you to the Vale Council for treason?" Ironwood asked, arms crossed.

Qrow sighed again and clutched his head. He sighed.

"Fifty years ago, I was out on my own east of Vale. That day, something came down from the sky near my position." He said, starting his story.

"When I got there, I saw that it was some kind of spaceship, something about the size of a yacht." He said.

"The person I saw in the cockpit looked injured and so I got her out of there before anyone arrived. ." He continued his story.

"She was wounded. She looked like she had been slashed across the stomach with something hot and she sounded pretty delirious. I got her to a nearby town and inn and helped heal her for the next few days." He sighed.

"You should've let that bitch die," Artyr spat. Goodwitch, Ironwood and Qrow looked at him with a worried expresion.

"You don't understand, Artyr." Ozpin said, looking at him.

"When she awoke from her delirium, she was hesitant to speak of her past. It took a bit of convincing and trust building over a period of a few months, but I finally was able to get her to open up as she started helping out the villagers with their medical problems with her knowledge." He explained.

"Most likely gained from unethical experiments," Artyr said, thinking of past experiments done during the several Sith empires that existed.

"She said that she had come from an asteroid belt that had served as her home for awhile. She claimed that she had been on the run from a group of Jedi that somehow found out about her and her master. During the ensuing battle, the two split up, taking whatever knowledge they could as they fled. During the battle, she had tried to escape from the system that she had been in until a blast from a Jedi starfighter hit her engines, making what made her ship travel faster than light malfunction. The next thing she knew she had arrived in orbit above our world and crash-landed." Ozpin explained.

"Did she say who her master was?" Artyr asked, his arms crossed.

"No, she didn't. But she did say that the Jedi thought that they were a different group of Sith." Ozpin explained, shaking his head. There was dead silence again. So much that you could hear a pin drop.

"You're kidding right? _A 'different group of Sith'?!_ No such thing! A Sith's a Sith!" Artyr yelled. But he couldn't help but think about the doctor's words.

 _'You think every Jedi's good and every Sith's bad?!'_

 _'Watch it from beginning to end'_ He thought about the holocron that she gave him.

"That's not what she told me," Ozpin said, shaking his head as he folded his hands.

"Was she in contact with Salem?" Artyr asked, saying the name. Glynda looked at him expectantly, as did Qrow and Ironwood.

"She said that Salem had contacted her, found out that she was from off-world somehow and made her an offer." Ozpin admitted.

"Son of a-!" Artyr roared as he turned away and clutched his head.

"An offer that she had to refuse because she had by then she had spent about two years in hiding in that village and had married, in addition to having a child" Ozpin added. Artyr stopped and turned. Ironwood and Glynda looked at eachother as did Qrow who whispered 'Holy shit'.

"A child?" Artyr asked slowly. That had to be Rebecca's Dad or Mom.

"The first of several as can be attested by the birth records." Ozpin explained, nodding.

"So, there's more than just the Winden sisters as her granddaughters?" Artyr asked for assurance. Ozpin nodded.

"I've kept tabs on them all. Their father, Michael Winden had graduated from this Academy twenty-five years ago. He sadly died on a mission." Ozpin said the last part sadly. Artyr sighed. Bad grandma, good kids and grandkids.

"Do you know if they're force-sensitive? If _any_ of her kids or grandkids are force-sensitive?" Artyr asked Ozpin, walking up to him again.

"None that I'm aware of. In fact, neither generation has shown any criminal tendencies or had a criminal record." Ozpin said.

"I hope to Oum that's true," Goodwitch said, raising her eyes to the sky.

"Still doesn't change the fact that you let a galactic criminal come into this school," Ironwood said, crossing his arms and looking at his fellow headmaster in disapproval.

"You're serious?" Glynda asked for assurance, leaning on Ozpin's desk.

Ozpin nodded.

The clouds drifted by through the blue sky as they spoke. While the day looked sunny, this particular moment was not.

"I helped her get through a medical school as well as get into Vale General Hospital." Ozpin added matter-of-fact.

"I know her, Artyr. She's not a bad person, though you think that." Ozpin said. He then had his head go down as he looked at Artyr.

"What about _you_ , Artyr? Do you have any bad tendencies that we should be aware of?" He asked, turning the tables on the Jedi. Glynda held her breath as Qrow and Ironwood looked at him.

Artyr paused. At first, he wanted to punch this man in the face. Then, he decided to deny it. They were better off not knowing about what happened so many times before he came here to Remnant. They didn't need to know about Geonosis, Athys, or anything else. They didn't need to know because it wasn't going to be an issue, he decided.

"This isn't about me," Artyr told him, shaking his head. He sounded angry as his voice rose.

"Are you sure? Because Arlina reacted with great outrage when she found out I invited you here to the Academy." Ozpin said, telling the truth.

'Smug bastard, who does he think he is?' Artyr thought.

"You told her he was a Jedi?!" Glynda barked at him. Ironwood and Qrow groaned.

"Damn it, Oz. What's next?" Qrow groaned, shaking his head as he facepalmed.

"She had a right to know what was coming and I told her to be on her best behavior." Ozpin answered Glynda.

"She asked me if I could notify her if there were any...' changes' that happened." Beacon's headmaster said, looking at him.

All eyes turned to Artyr.

Qrow muttered something under his breath. What it was, Artyr didn't hear it.

"What's she talking about, son?" Ironwood asked, curious.

"Nothing," He lied.

"Artyr, need I remind you: You came in here, saying that Arlina Dolin, who to my knowledge so far, has no criminal record. I need to know if you have nothing bad against you yourself. She told me about certain things that the Jedi did to her people. Her order's ancestors, essentially." Ozpin said. Artyr's face paled.

 _'Ah, shit. She told him about the Sith Holocaust.'_ He thought.

"What do you know of the Sith Holocaust, Artyr?" Ozpin asked. Ironwood's eyes widened. Glynda contorted in confusion and Qrow blinked as he stood up to pay attention.

"'Sith Holocaust?" Qrow asked, looking between the headmaster and the Jedi.

"It happened more than five thousand years ago. It's ancient history." Artyr said, deflecting it as he waved a hand.

"What is the 'holocaust', Art? What did your people do?" Qrow asked, getting angry. He looked at him with a wary expression.

"You saved my niece. I admit that." Qrow said, admitting the good deed. He spoke next in a very hostile tone.

"But, if it turns out that I let a damn monster into my brother-in-law's house and near my nieces..." Qrow said, leaving the consequence unanswered.

"It's not what we did back then that matters now." The padawan said, deflecting it.

"Well, it sure gives an insight into this whole 'Jedi-Sith' feud you two have!" Qrow said, laughing.

Artyr sighed. This was going to be hard to explain.

"There had been several Sith empires. In fact, the Sith people, after the wars of that particular time period decided to live in peace for once. The Sith order was a bit on the down low... if you can say that. But, not everyone was convinced." Artyr said.

"The reigning Supreme Chancellor at that time didn't want another Sith-Republic war, so he ordered a..." He sighed. He didn't say anything for a minute as he struggled to say it out loud and honestly, it hurt to admit what the Order had done in this terrible deed.

"Genocide," Qrow and Ironwood said simultaneously as they realized it.

"Your people started a genocidal campaign against those people... that's why the Sith hate you so damn much, isn't it?" Ozpin asked, rhetorically. He scoffed as he shook his head.

"Not just because of differing philosophies or creeds, but because your people did the most unthinkable act against them." Ozpin said, firmly like a judge telling a criminal what he did before giving out a sentence.

"By the gods, what else have you people done?" Qrow asked, softly as he looked at Artyr. Artyr rubbed his face and sighed.

"We invaded every Sith-populated world we could find. Every last one. Every village, town, and city was..." He explained. He sighed as he shook his head.

"Exterminated," Qrow said, flatly. There was no euphemism for this.

The headmaster shook his head.

"The survivors fled and formed a new Sith Empire out in then-unknown space. They came back and attacked us, retaking their homeworlds that they were forced to leave behind. Ten years later, they sacked Coruscant and destroyed the Temple. A lot of us died that day." Artyr said, shaking his head as he remembered seeing the historical footage of that tragic event.

"Yeah, and for a pretty damn good reason too, I'll bet." Qrow said without a hint of sympathy. Artyr looked at him.

"What about the Jedi of today, what have they done?" Ruby's uncle asked, crossing his arms.

Ironwood shook his head.

"Did _you_ commit war crimes, son?" He asked, angrily. Artyr sighed angrily He looked at the general.

"We didn't start this war, if that's what you're asking." The Jedi told them all. Goodwitch looked at him with a combination of horror and fear. She was shaking her head at what she was hearing.

"That's a bit hard to believe, considering what your people did." Qrow said. Artyr fumed.

"You have no idea what we lost, do you?" He asked, looking at them all.

"The Sith were supposed to have been destroyed a thousand years ago. We besieged their last temple and they wound up killing eachother during the fighting over power. That's what we heard." Artyr said, his voice rising as he gestured.

"Then, we started hearing rumors of a guy named 'Bane'. They say he found an apprentice and founded a new order. we spent decades looking for him, but nothing ever came up... until about ten years ago during the Battle of Naboo." Artyr explained.

"What did _you_ do, in particular, Art? We don't want a galactic history lesson. What we want to know is: did you do anything wrong?" Qrow asked. The Jedi shook his head.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Artyr said, defiantly. His voice was starting to go deeper, but he didn't notice. His clothes became ripped and tore at the seams. Glynda took a step back in shock. Qrow furrowed his eyebrows as Ironwood took a step back. Ozpin raised his head.

"You did do something wrong, didn't you? What was it?" Qrow asked, stepping forward. He wasn't backing down. His hand went behind him.

"Qrow, don't! Not here!" Ozpin said, his voice rising as he looked at his operative.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Artyr denied again, his voice still going deeper. He felt his anger boiling. He hadn't killed innocent civilians! He hadn't ordered planets to be subjugated and destroyed! He hadn't killed kids! He didn't kill loyal soldiers for not doing their jobs!

He didn't notice his height start to grow as he breathed heavily.

"What did you do, kid?" Qrow asked, slowly bringing out his weapon. Artyr shook his head. He thought of all the deaths he had seen over the past three years. Master Bell, RC-9003 'Byte', and over the years so many clones that had served under or alongside him. He even thought of Hunter squad, thinking of their deaths. All the pain of those deaths had started to come back to him as the accusations came.

 **"I-I-"** He started to say as the pain took over along with the anger coming from the accusations.

"Qrow! For Oum's sake, knock it off!" Ironwood bellowed at him.

"My brother-in-law let this punk into his house and near his daughters!" Qrow roared back, angrily as he looked at Ironwood's image. He then looked back at Qrow.

 _"I'm not asking you again: what did you do?!"_ He roared, accusingly.

"I avenged the fallen," Artyr admitted after a long pause. Qrow looked at him, angrily. He

"What?" He asked in disbelief as he tilted his head. Artyr looked up at him.

He then started to speak.

"When I was eleven, my master and I boarded a slaver ship taking Togruta colonists to Hutt space. On the main deck, my master and I split up to cover more ground. He went to the bride and I went down below deck to the cargo hold." He said, the memory coming back.

He recalled dispatching the Trandoshan slavers after he told them to surrender. They refused and tried to kill him. They paid the price.

He remembered the smell of feces and urine in the cages that the slaves were kept in. The faces of gratitude and begging came to mind as he opened the cages, slicing off the locks on the doors. Then, they all had started acting scared as they looked towards the end of the cargo hold, a section that had been cordoned off by makeshift bulkheads.

"I freed the slaves down in the cargo hold... and then, I found it in the very back. In a cordoned off section for it to live in and... feed." Artyr said, sniffling.

"It was a rancor, that they kept in the back." He said, looking at Qrow, his height now back to normal. He gestured with his hands as he spoke.

"I saw all the bones in there...so many goddamn bones." He whispered. He shook his head.

"I blacked out when I first saw that thing." He said, remembering seeing the massive, monstrous thing that was as tall as a building and capable of eating a man whole. He saw so many bones around it as it feasted on a slave that had been tossed in there earlier. He hated hearing the smacking sounds as it ate its prey. He could only imagine the pain and fear the Togruta had felt before he or she died.

"When I woke up, my master told me that the thing had been found torn limb from limb... like something tore it apart with its bare hands." He explained, gesturing as he spoke. Qrow continued looking at him. His expression had softened.

"That's when I learned that I wasn't like anyone else," Artyr said, shrugging as he looked down. He then looked at Ozpin

"She told you about 'changes' , right?" He asked. Ozpin nodded, silently.

Artyr looked at Qrow.

"You want to know what I am?" Artyr said, walking forward to Qrow.

"I haven't a damn clue as to what I am, Branwen." Artyr admitted, The former bandit stood his ground, ready for anything.

"My sin is that I can turn into something really, _really_ bad when I'm angry." He explained, looking around. Everyone looked at him, interested and attentive.

"It's happened a lot more than it should," He said, sighing as he shook his head. He couldn't believe he was doing this.

No one outside the Order was supposed to know. He had hoped that his team would be the only ones that knew... but now, the conspiracy he was a part of would know as well. Things were not looking good right now. But, it felt... therapeutic... releasing all that pain as he spoke about what he did as his other self, as 'the monster'.

"I bashed a bounty hunter's head in with my bare hands after he killed my master in an arena on Geonosis. Before that, I beat his ass to a pulp for what he did while his little shit of a son yelled at me." Artyr explained, the memory of the chaos in that damned arena coming back.

"I killed what I can only describe as some things akin to Grimm after they killed a team I was with, after I saw them eating their corpses." He added, shaking his head. He could still hear the whole squad calling for help as they died while he was a level above them, keeping watch over the prisoners that they took. The images of their corpses was burnt into his mind like a brand on his skin.

"And then, one day, on a planet called Athys, in its capital city: I watched as an entire battalion that I led personally, _died_ as the Separatists launched a chemical attack that spread throughout the city." Artyr added further, still looking around, shaking as he spoke. He remembered standing alone and apparently untouched as the clones around him died. His calls for help and medevac went unheeded as Master Almira's voice told him that his position was overrun by the chemical fog. There was nothing they could do.

"Have you ever seen a whole unit of yours fall to something they couldn't fight, General?" Artyr asked, his voice shaking as he looked at General. Ironwood looked at him with pity

"You ever see that many people cough and vomit up _that_ much blood and puke as they wept blood and gasped for air? You ever see that?" He asked, sounding like he was insane. He laughed.

"That chemical fog stayed around for three days," He said, flatly.

 _"Three days."_ He repeated, then laughed.

"And I was alone," He said, sadly as he stopped laughing immediately.

 _"Completely and utterly alone,"_ He said, breaking.

"I saw dead kids in that fog, y'know. As I walked around looking for survivors. Them and their families." He stated, nonchalantly. Everyone looked at him with sympathy, Goodwitch especially as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"And the only ones who weren't affected were the droids, their commander, and his merc-bodyguards in a sealed off command center in the center of the city." He said, his face twisted into a snarl.

"Do you know what I did?" Artyr asked, looking up, smiling evilly as he chuckled.

"I killed all of them," He confessed.

"Every last droid I could find throughout the city. Then, when they were all in pieces, I came for the men in the compound." He said, not smiling and his voice very serious.

"I tore through those kriffers like a rancor through his prey. I made them suffer for what they did to _my_ men." He spat.

"I had that kriffer in my hands," He said, raising his two hands, relishing the memory of choking that Neimoidian to death after making him watch the death of his bodyguards.

"I remember choking the shit out of him as he pleaded for his life, the kriffing _coward_!" He roared the last word.

"I passed out because I didn't even eat for three days... or sleep, or drink... not even piss or shit!" He laughed. He stopped laughing and then sighed.

"I broke the rules, though." Artyr said, sighing. His head went down and sighed. He then brought it back up.

"I admit it, I broke a cardinal rule: don't have personal attachments." He confessed.

"I have an adopted sister, or rather a lot of adopted brothers and sisters back on Coruscant in the Temple." He confessed, thinking of Ahsoka, Kaleb, and numerous other padawans and younglings.

"I also treat my soldiers like they're my brothers," He added, thinking of the men that he had served with.

"I've also got someone special, back on Kamino." He admitted, jerking his thumb back Qrow stood up straight as Glynda's eyes widened. Ozpin blinked and Ironwood rubbed the back of his head as he shook it.

"Yeah, we've been keeping it a secret ever since what happened on Geonosis." Artyr said, nodding. Qrow whistled.

"Her uncle's the prime minister of the whole planet. And she's been," He paused. Ironwood's eyes widened and Qrow laughed.

"Or rather _had_ , been begging me to leave the order and go with her. To where, I don't know." He said, shrugging. He sniffled. He then looked at the former bandit.

"You want to know what sins I committed, Qrow?" He asked, rhetorically.

"There, those are my sins." He said, pointing a hand like a knife at him and then slapping it back down to his thigh.

Qrow shook his head at the sheer absurdity of it all. He then started laughing.

"You have a girlfriend on another planet?!"He laughed as he pointed.

"Hey, did she try to tell you she was pregnant before you left?" He asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Artyr's face darkened. The next thing Qrow Branwen knew, a massive fist hit him square in the face and he crashed through a wall, making a big hole.

"Oh my gods, Artyr!" Glynda shouted in shock.

Artyr stood where Qrow had been a second before. His clothes were now ripped and his height was now probably taller than the tallest man in Beacon Academy. His muscles bulged as his jacket was torn at the seams. His skin was rough, bark-colored. His head and face still looked largely human as did his hair, but it was now massive like a giant's. His eyes were grayish-green and had a very angry look in them.

He turned to Goodwitch who looked at him in horror.

 **"Prick deserved it,"** He stated flatly in an inhumanly deep and alien voice. Goodwitch breathed heavily as she looked at the student in his alien form. Ironwood looked at him.

"So, that's what you really look like." Ironwood said. Artyr turned to everyone in the room.

 **"Not a goddamn word of this to anyone, got it?"** Artyr threatened as he looked around.

 **"This is the exact reason why I don't talk about this shit to anyone!"** He roared in anger.

"I think we should see if Qrow's still alive," Qrow said, getting up.

The three that were physically present int the room went to the hole and then looked out the hole to see birds flying and a very surprised Qrow with a scythe embedded into the outer wall of the tower. They all looked down as Qrow looked up with a bruised face and a broken and bleeding nose.

"I was only teasing you alien jackass!" Qrow roared up at him.

 **"That's for starting shit, you drunk old man!"** Artyr roared back.

"Fuck you!" Qrow shouted from about a hundred feet down.

 **"No, fuck you... and your mother!"** Artyr roared back.

"Get him back up, Artyr. Or I'm expelling you." Ozpin threatened without threatening. Artyr grumbled.

 **"Fine,"** Artyr grunted, raising a massive arm. Qrow started to rise, hanging onto his scythe. It went out of the outer wall as pebbles of material fell from the new crack.

"This also begs the question of who's going to pay for that long crack down the tower's wall," Ozpin said, flatly.

Ozpin looked at him. Artyr looked at him in his alien form.

 **"Don't look at me, headmaster. I only have about ten Republic credits in my pocket."** Artyr told him flatly. He then lowered his head at Ozpin as Qrow rose up to the same level as the three.

 **"Besides, I'm still** pissed at you for hiring that Sith tramp." Artyr said as his body turned back to normal while his voice also returned.

They stepped back and Qrow was lowered onto the floor. Qrow then socked Artyr in the face. Artyr staggered as Glynda stood in shock.

"Goddamnit, Qrow!" She roared and then flung his flask out the hole.

"No!" Qrow screamed as he reached for the flask. It was out of his grasp and fell down through the air. Qrow looked down in sheer horror as his flask fell, the liquid contents now spilled out. He turned back to her with a look of pure terror. He then regained his composure.

"Hold on, let me reset your nose." Artyr said, stepping forward.

"Fuck no! You've done enough damage as it is, you half-alien prick!" Qrow said, angrily as he wiped his bloody and broken nose.

"Qrow, go to the medical bay." Ozpin ordered.

"Sure,"

"And don't let your nieces see you or talk about what happened here! It all stays in here, understand?" Ozpin called after him.

"Yeah, yeah!" Qrow said, waving his hand as he walked.

"Artyr, you're going to class. You should've told us about your condition as soon as you arrived." Ozpin lectured.

"I admit what I did was screwed up by your standards," He said, apologetically.

"But that still doesn't change the fact that both of your factions did wrong. I want you to not antagonize the doctor. In short: She's not like other Sith you've met, you've both done wrong, and you two better not kill eachother on school grounds." Ozpin said, crossing his arms.

"Am I clear?" he asked. Artyr thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Sure," Artyr said, nodding.

"Also, to repay for what you did to Qrow and as you are now apart of our group: I want you to go on a mission with Qrow as penance. I will decide when." The headmaster added. Artyr sighed.

"Fine," He said.

"You're still going to this school. But, I want you to be on your best behavior." Ozpin said, pointing at him.

"Now, get to class. It started about fifteen minutes ago. You should use your scroll to find the way." He said, jerking his thumb out the doors. Artyr looked at him as did Goodwitch.

"Ozpin, he has no scroll." She reminded the headmaster.

"He doesn't even know our written language," She added. Ozpin sighed as he closed his eyes.

"Of course, I should've remembered." He said, shaking his head.

"I'll arrange for tutoring, Professor Goodwitch will escort you to class." Ozpin said. Artyr nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"If I can add anything," Ironwood said, raising a finger. They all looked up.

"Son, if you ever want to talk about what happened out there... I'll give you my number so we can talk." Ironwood offered. Artyr and Ozpin tilted their heads in confusion.

"Consider that an aid from one military man to another," Ironwood said, nodding his head. Artyr made an 'oh'.

"Yes, sir." Artyr said, nodding.

"Now, get." Ozpin ordered. The Jedi walked out of the door. Glynda was about to go with him when Ozpin put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

XXXX

"Glynda, wait here for a moment. We need to talk." Ozpin said. She turned to him. Her son walked out of the doors, closing them. He wouldn't know.

She faced the two headmasters, prepared for a reprimand.

"Why in Oum's name haven't you told him?" Ozpin asked, crossing his arms. Before Glynda could speak, Ironwood then added in his two cents.

"Hell, why didn't you tell _me_ you had a kid?!" Ironwood asked, pointing to himself. She looked at the hologram in shock.

"You knew?!" She said, exasperated.

"It's not that hard when we've all seen how you act around him," Ozpin said, matter-of-fact.

"Qrow knows, but not Arlina." He said, affirming who knew.

"No one else knows except you, James, Qrow and me." Ozpin reaffirmed.

Again, I ask: Why haven't you told him that he's your son? Why didn't you tell _anyone_ that you and Aogust had a son?" Ozpin asked.

Glynda took off her glasses and folded them as she struggled how to speak. Her eyes went down and then rose.

"How long have you known?" She asked, softly. Her eyes looked at the two men as they wept tears.


	19. Chapter 19: Back Home

Chapter 19

 _(A/N: I felt that there should be a chapter on how people back in the Star Wars universe reacted to losing Artyr. If you don't like it, how can I improve or change it?)_

Lira Su wept in the darkness. The Kaminoan teenager sat on her bed with her hands on her face. Around her room, things were a mess, if one turned on the light. Her papers that she worked on would be on the floor, scattered, the drawings and letters that both she and her love had sent to eachother, now had shoeprints and tears on them.

It had been three weeks since she had learned that Artyr had disappeared. Three weeks since Uncle Lama had told her the truth.

"I never should've been mad at him," The girl whispered, shaking her head. She looked out the window as the rain poured down on the capital city of her planet. The oceans below the city's buildings raged in turmoil over the once-fertile lands that had served as her ancestral homeland. Now, after the global climate change so many years before, it was all awash in sorrow and pain.

The last thing that she had done to him was get be furious at him. She had been so angry at him for not coming back to Kamino and just leaving the Order and this damned war! She fumed angrily at herself.

She had just wanted him to be safe and be with her, that was all she had wanted. Before meeting him, she had expected a regular life as a research assistant, followed by going up the ranks until she was a director of her own lab division. A bit boring, come to think of it as before she met Artyr, all she ever cared about was following what was expected of her as a blue-eyed Kaminoan.

Kaminoan society had changed a great deal since the Cataclysm. Rank and status were based on eye color. Gray- eyes were counted as administrators, top of the food chain. Blue eyes were a bit lower than that. But, Gods forbid green eyes! Anyone with green eyes was killed on the spot. It was that brutal a society to live in.

Her people were renowned throughout the galaxy as masters of genetic research, whereas ten years ago, they had been previously unknown. Now, everyone knew who they were, which made them a target for the Separatists. Kamino was pretty much the Republic's sole source of military personnel in the entire galaxy. Whereas a thousand and more years ago, the Republic relied on things like conscription and volunteer soldiers for soldiers, spacers, and pilots.

However, there were drawbacks to it all.

Almost all Kaminoans, and by extension the Republic and the Jedi themselves, regarded the clones that they produced as mere canon fodder to fight and die so that someone else could claim a victory over the Separatists. Now, there were those who cared for the troops, like Artyr (Gods rest his soul)... but they were quite frankly: in the minority course, if the Republic switched to using natural-born volunteers, Kamino would be 'out of business' to use the term. Quite the conundrum.

She somewhat remembered Jango Fett, the original genetic donor, along with his artificial son, Boba (who was pretty much a clone of Jango). Fett had been made the primary source about ten years before the war started. Sifo-Dyas, a Jedi Knight, had ordered the creation of the clone army as he foresaw a coming war. If he had lived long enough to see how far it went now. Jango, she later found out, had been one of Count Dooku's men and later killed during the battle of Geonosis... after he killed Artyr's first master. After Jango died, Boba was pretty much banished from Kamino on account of what his father did as a Separatist loyalist. Though there some who argued that Jango was much more of a bounty hunter/ mercenary than a loyalist.

She recalled meeting Artyr after he arrived from Geonosis. The official story was that he had been injured during the battle. But, it turned out to be much different.

Her first impression was that he was a bit handsome for a human boy of thirteen. At that time, she was also thirteen. He had been quiet when he arrived. She had helped draw his blood for tests. That was how it started, when he started talking to her.

 _"So... mind if I ask you a question?" Artyr asked as she drew his blood while wearing gloves. He didn't seem to feel fear at the needle. She looked down at him as he laid on a medical bed. The curtains were drawn for privacy as Doctor Ma, Artyr's regular physician on Kamino, was in the room._

 _"Yes?" She asked, tilting her long-necked head at him as she regarded him._

 _"I know this sounds offensive... but-" Artyr paused before asking the question._

 _"Are you a boy or a girl?" He asked. There was dead silence in the room for about a minute. She blinked. How in the hell had he been so kriffing blind?! Did he not hear her voice or see how she dressed much less her developing breasts._

 _Instead of yelling at him, she simply hid her anger and smiled at him._

 _"I'm a girl," She said and then called him a name in Old Kaminoan as something translated to 'dick head'. Dr. Ma had looked at her in shock and promptly scolded the assistant in private for doing such a stupid and irresponsible thing and was ordered to apologize for her actions. Which of course, she did._

 _Artyr simply smiled and shrugged._

 _"Y'know," He said._

 _"I think I kind of knew, so sorry for getting that mixed up." He apologized._

 _And then he said that one confession that had started it all: how she felt about him and everything._

 _"I actually have never seen such beautiful people before," He confessed out loud while Dr. Ma was in the room, but not Jedi Master Shaak Ti as she was assigned as the Jedi liaison to Kamino and head of the training of future soldiers in the clone army._

 _Dr. Ma had been astounded at what the human boy had said. Uncle Lama had also heard it as he was in the room to oversee his niece's apology as he had found out through Dr. Ma._

 _"I've never heard any foreigner say that about us, much less anyone else among our people." He had commented, flattered._

 _The padawan had shrugged as he lay in his hospital bed after they had scanned his body. He had never seen the results but she had as she had snuck some peeks into the data._

Artyr had known that he wasn't human, but he also didn't know that he was of an unknown species. His genetics were advanced by Kaminoan standards. It was like someone had genetically engineered the perfect kid. Of course, there was evidence that he had been born naturally, but he was also the descendant of some kind of genetic engineering program.

He had never known that his blood would be subjected to every known disease in the galaxy. Every one of them. And in spite of the odds and lethality: it survived, overcoming it with ease. He was that damned special.

It was also in the second week of his stay on Kamino that he first met the squad that he considered his first pod, 'pod' being a Kaminoan term for a squad of brothers. Then, he had decided that he wanted to train with the clone troopers, learn how to fight like them. Master Shaak Ti had been hesitant, but Uncle Lama insisted that they observe how he fared in combat training as to compare him to the rank-and-file mass produced troopers that they had.

While his accomplishments should've made him feel superior to the clones, instead he felt kinship with him. She had been like everyone else back then: didn't care a damn about the clones as they were mass-produced for fighting and dying for the Republic.

Ultimately, it was his attitude towards the clones that made her change as she herself had started to love him, confessing her feelings to him when he returned again after his first combat experience with Hunter squad to see the results of it. He reciprocated said feelings and thus their love had truly began.

Of course, they had to keep it as chaste as possible. How was she going to explain a three-part hybrid child she was carrying if they had actually done the deed. However, there had been times when they had been close to actually initiating consumating their relationship. Real close.

As the news of the war reached Kamino, she had hidden her fear and love for him from her family, friends, and co-workers. She had ultimately led a double life. She had been devastated for him when she learned about all the comrades and subordinates that he had lost over the years. The loss of his personal battalion had hit him the most.

A month after he left, she had found out that he had been tattooing the serial numbers of the dead onto his back, as a living memorial to their sacrifice and to remind him of his greatest failures. At last count, it had been two-thousand-five-hundred-and-nine numbers with one name : Bellophoron.

And now, like his comrades that were tatooed on his back: he was gone... taken from her. Tears fell from her eyes.

She needed something that remained of himself. Something that would forever remind her of him. She looked up at a drawer under her private desk and walked over to it, sniffling. She opened it. Under the various papers and what-have-you, she found it.

A vial of blood with the lab tag still on it from the day that she drew his blood. she looked at it, inspecting it. At first, she thought about producing a child from the sample, mixed with her own DNA... but how could she do that?! She was a lab assistant, nothing more until she learned and did more work to merit a higher rank for more personal freedom. She decided the next option was to inject it into herself.

The teenager's head dipped and lightning began to flash outside. One way or another, she would have something.

XXX

Ahsoka Tano and Kaleb Dume walked inside their fellow padawan's room. She was solemn as was Kaleb. The young man looked at her and then at around. The room was just as their friend and 'older brother' had left it.

"I can't believe he's gone," She told the boy as she went over to Artyr's bookshelf. She had received the news after the mission that she and Master Skywalker had been on was complete. It had devastated her.

Her older adopted brother, the boy who had stood up for her, lectured her about her damn wardrobe, even saved her life twice ... was gone. Officially he was Missing In Action (Presumed Dead). He wasn't coming back. No more teasing him about Lira Su, no more arguments, no more time together as brother and sister.

"He always wanted to be with the troops," Kaleb said as he opened a bag that he had that would be full of Artyr's things.. Ahsoka glared at him.

"What's that supposed to mean, smartass?" She growled. He looked up, gesturing for her to calm down.

"Look, I didn't mean that in a bad way!" He said. She sighed angrily as she opened up her own bag and looked at the books. Just about all of them were military history along with Galactic History. She tossed them in.

"He's gone missing and the last thing that he said was that he was coming back! Instead, he didn't and we're stuck without him!" She said, her voice rising. He looked at her angrily.

"Hey, you're forgetting he was a bit of a prick, right? He lectured you constantly about how you dressed, which isn't wrong by me." He said, pointing at her.

"He cared about how I appeared," She said, defensively, though she did admit it. He had been a bit... overassertive, maybe? He didn't take advantage of her, at least!

"Not only that, but after what happened on Athys, he was practically having a death-wish." He said, sighing. She fumed. The Togruta wanted to punch the bastard in the face right kriffing now!

"Shut the kriff up! He lost his best friend after Hunter squad got killed!" She snapped at him.

"They're clones, Ahsoka! They're just canon fodder, everyone knows that!"

"They have their own thoughts and feelings for Force's sake!" She argued.

"They're mass-produced in a lab and programmed like droids to be loyal! They're just biological machines, nothing more." Kaleb said, angrily. They looked at eachother in anger, both fuming. There was silence after about five minutes and then they got back to work.

Just then Ahsoka noticed a folder that fell to the wayside. She picked it up. It was a folder overflowing with papers in it... guess Artyr wasn't that much into using a datapad or something more digital. She had thoughts about opening it or not. On the one hand, this was his private stuff... on the other hand, her brother wasn't coming back.

She opened it and saw that it was a mixture of drawings and what appeared to be...

"Are these letters?" She asked.

"What?" Kaleb asked, coming over to look. She looked up at him wanting to tell him to piss off, but decided against it.

"Our brother, it seems, was a bit old-fashioned." She stated. She took out the first paper.

 _"Artyr," She read aloud._

 _"Those last drawings you sent me were a bit disturbing than the last ones, I'll admit. Whatever you're seeing in your visions, you need to tell someone about this, for Force's sake. "_ She looked up at Kaleb. What the hell had been going on behind closed doors.

"Drawings?" She repeated. She hadn't seen Artyr draw at all throughout the war, much less before it.

 _"I love you, my h-"_ She said and then realized what she had just read aloud. She blushed as Kaleb's jaw dropped.

"Oh. My. God." The two said simultaneously as they realized what he had been hiding from them. They looked at eachother.

"So, he _did_ kriff someone!" Kaleb said, excitedly. He closed the door to Artyr's quarters with a wave of his hand as they looked over the letters.

"We don't know that," Ahsoka said, reading through it.

 _"I love you, my heart. But, you need help."_ She continued reading.

 _"Always yours, Lira."_

She looked out the window.

"So, he really did have a relationship with her." Ahsoka whispered in disbelief.

"Hypocritical son of a bitch," Kaleb said, shaking his head.

They then started going through his letters. And then, they came across the drawings.

"Wow," The Togrutan teenager said, shaking her head.

"I didn't know he could draw like that," Kaleb said, holding up one that he selected randomly.

It was a curious image. It showed what appeared to be four human young women in different colors in a straight line standing against a towering woman with the most disturbing and beautiful look. The woman that towered over them was dressed in black with flowing robes. Her hair was arranged in a strange manner with metal adorning it along with strange ear rings. Her eyes were red with black whites. It looked like there were purple veins on her cheeks. Kaleb shivered.

"Imagine coming across that," He said, handing Ahsoka the image.

"Looks like some kind of Sith Lady or something," She commented.

"Back in the old days, some Sith were _so_ evil, their eyes were blood red." Ahsoka said.

"Did Artyr mention anything to you about his visions? Hell, did anyone hear him talk about it?" Kaleb asked her.

"No, not to me. He had migraines, yea-" She stopped. She realized what the migraines really were. Every day that she saw him, he had 'migraines' that caused him pain. She thought he had been telling the truth, but it turned out... they were visions. Incredible. Did any of the masters know about any of this?!

She looked through more of the drawings.

A few showed the image of a moon that mostly whole but looked like part of it was shattered as if a comet had come into it. Another few were of monstrous, demonic creatures that were black with red eyes and white masks over their faces. They looked like certain animals.

Some images were of clones. Ranging from drawings of clone commandos in battle or downtime to scenes from the front. Most likely, these were Artyr's drawings of his comrades.

There was one image that both of them saw that was less about comradeship and battle and more about love.

It showed Artyr and Lira Su together, both in eachother's arms. Lira looking down at him as she cupped his face and Artyr with his hands on her waist and back, looking up at her with devotion. Ahsoka felt a bit jealous and yet... she felt happy.

"Think they got a secret marriage?" Kaleb asked.

"I doubt it," Ahsoka sighed.

"Must've gone on since after Geonosis," He commented.

Other images showed some strange battle scenes. A lot of them were of some kind monstrous alien or more of its kind that were big, bulky, and muscular as they wielded lightsabers. Crests were on the back of their head under their heads as they fought, the tunics they wore tearing at the seams. They wielded their blades at enemies that cowered beneath under their blows, seeing the doom of their existence. In a few drawings there were a lot more of these things. Their enemies were familiar in some cases: ancient Mandalorians, ancient Sith, and even droids. But others she didn't recognize. The aliens that she saw were monstrous and strange as well, but the expressions of the victims were all the same: sheer terror as they were massacred. Their opponents, mighty in size, roared in some battle cry as they executed their foes.

"There's no way those are Jedi," Kaleb said, looking at them. Then, she saw drawings where the lightsaber-wielding aliens that were supposedly Jedi were using their bare hands. The carnage that she saw was more than disturbing... it was downright frightening as she saw the expressions of the aliens be of sheer hatred at their foe for whatever their crime was. They tore them apart, literally, bashing them against the walls in some cases.

"Are these good guys or bad guys?" Kaleb asked.

"I haven't even a fricking clue," She admitted as she saw more images.

"Wait... is that the arena from Geonosis?" Kaleb asked, looking closer.

She saw that it was.

"I heard about what happened," She said, looking at it. The background showed the battle happening. Jedi fighting and dying as they scrapped droids. But the main foreground was of sorrow and loss as it showed someone leaning over a corpse and cradling it. A man in Mandalorian armor stood behind the person, aiming a gun with one hand as it fired.

The next image she saw showed what was most likely that same person as she recognized the tunic as the figure launched from his original position next to the corpse and leaped at the Mandalorian, now transformed into something inhuman... in fact, it looked like the monstrous 'Jedi' form previous images. She then looked at the corpse and noticed something. The head of that corpse looked like...

Her eyes widened.

"Oh my God," she whispered as she realized that whatever her master had told her about Geonosis may have been a lie. Artyr had refused to talk about what happened in the arena that day but had spoke that his master had died. And now, she was seeing the most likely and yet improbable truth.

"What is that?" Kaleb asked, curious and yet having a bit of unease. She looked at the next image.

"It's what really happened to him," She said.

Just then, the door opened.

"Hey! Haven't you heard of knocking?!" She roared as she shuffled the papers away as Kaleb and she spun. A man stood in the doorway. He wore a dark tan tunic of the Jedi order with his brown robe flowing and hood up. His face was hidden by a cloth over it. His lightsaber hung from his hilt.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The man asked, rapid-fire. He sounded like he was in his late-twenties.

"Sorry, master. We were picking up Artyr's things and getting them sent for donation." Ahsoka half-lied. The man made a 'hmm' sound as he looked up in thought.

"Perhaps, you would be so kind as to explain to me what made you... uneasy?" He asked. The two padawans looked at eachother uneasily and looked at the Jedi. He was a Jedi, right?

"Um," She said. The man walked in, towering over them both. He was taller than Artyr, she noticed. Probably seven feet tall.

"Let me see them," He ordered, extending a black-gloved hand. Ahsoka started to speak, but found that she couldn't. She then sighed and handed the papers to him as did Kaleb, reluctnantly. The man looked at the images without a hint of emotion.

"He had great talent in drawing, huh?" He asked. The two teenagers were unsure how to respond. The man looked powerful enough to stomp the both of them. They didn't even know who he was. He then stopped looking through the pages. Though she was a padawan, Ahsoka sensed that the man was... startled? Interested? Concerned. It was a bit hard to discern.

Then, he grunted as if in pain and grabbed his head. She tilted her head. He breathed heavily and then a few seconds later stopped as he still clutched the pages.

"This girl," He said, holding out the page showing Artyr and Lira together to them.

"Who is she?" The unnamed Jedi asked.

"Uh," Ahsoka said.

"Lira, Lira Su. She's on Kamino." Kaleb answered. The man sighed and muttered something. It sounded like 'What the hell were you thinking, kid?'

"Uh, did you know Artyr?" Ahsoka asked, curious. The man looked at her with unreadable eyes that were shadowed by the hood.

"That's none of your concern, Padawan Tano." He answered, firmly. He then paused as he looked at her. He tilted his head at both of them.

"He considered you family, didn't he? Young Artyr?" He asked. The padawans blinked and slowly nodded.

"Whom else?"

"The men he fought alongside," Ahsoka found herself saying.

"'He who sheds his blood today shall be my brother eternal,'" The man quoted.

"That was his favorite historical quote," Ahsoka said. The Jedi Knight looked down at her. He then knelt down to her eye level.

"Listen very carefully to me, padawan." he said, his voice going from firm and authoritarian to that of a paternal figure.

"Does anyone else know of his relationship to Lira Su?" The man asked, softly. Ahsoka shook her head.

"Just us, though I don't know if her uncle knows or not." Kaleb answered.

"'Uncle'?" The man said, slowly. His head dipped.

"Her uncle is the Prime Minister of Kamino, is he not?" he asked.

"Yeah- why?" She asked. She felt... anger, rage sympathy, and of course, disappointment in the man. As though he had discovered something terrible about his child. That's when a thought occurred to her.

"Master, if I may ask," The man looked at the padawan as she spoke. Just then, she felt a more familiar presence.

"What's going on in here?" Master Skywalker asked, concerned. She felt a bit relieved as Sky Guy had come to her rescue from this stranger. The man turned his head to regard the newly arrived Jedi Knight. The man stood up as his fists curled into balls. Rage was clearly showing. He turned to the knight.

"Who are you?" Sky Guy asked, dipping his head.

The two men stood, staring at eachother.

"Do you know Hutteese?" The man asked. Sky Guy looked at him, jerking his head back in shock as if stung. He grimaced.

"Yeah,"

"Good, then you will understand what I'm going to tell you. I would rather not have them hear it." The man said, jerking a thumb back.

In a flash, the man had Sky Guy pinned to the wall by the throat with his massive arm. Her master choked as he tried to free himself.

"Master!" She yelled in shock.

"Holy shit!" Kaleb roared in shock. "This doesn't concern you kids! This is between me and him," The man barked at them without turning his head.

The man, with his hood still up, looked at Sky Guy as he struggled to free himself. The knight tried to get his saber, but the stranger's hand grabbed it. Anakin almost groaned as though he was in pain. The stranger then spoke in fluent Hutteese.

Whatever he said, Anakin understood but was also confused by what was being said. The two padawans watched in horror as the Jedi Knight was held helpless. Then, he was released, collapsing to the floor

"Again: this is from one man to another." The man said finally in Basic.

He then left. Anakin coughed. He then got up and leaned against the doorway as he looked out.

"You son of a hutt! Who do you think you are?!" Skywalker roared down the hallway. He started to chase after him.

Ahsoka and Kaleb looked at eachother and then sped out of the room. They ran down the hall after the two. The two adults were faster than the padawans as they struggled to catch up.

Jedi and droids were tossed aside like nothing against the wall. The afternoon sunlight gleamed through the windows as they ran through the halls.

Just then, there was the sound of a crash and a shout. Anakin had stopped at a broken window at the end of the hallway. He looked out the window. Ahsoka and Kaleb panted as they caught up. They looked down to see among the speeders that raced too and fro among the cityscape of Coruscant was the stranger that was quite possibly an imposter as he fell. Then, a flash of light occurred.

The padawans looked out in amazement and looked at Anakin who looked down in anger. He snarled. He then turned to Ahsoka.

"Ahsoka, what did he want?" He asked. Ahsoka blinked and looked at Kaleb who looked back in fear.

"It's important that you tell me what he's after, Padawan." Anakin said, trying to contain his rage.

"I think he's after Lira," Ahsoka said. Anakin blinked in confusion and frowned.

"Lira who?" He asked for clarification

XXXX  
Almira took the bottle of Correlian ale in her hand and swung it a little, hearing the liquid slosh around. She wasn't dressed in the traditional robes of the Jedi Order, but rather in much more plain and casual clothes. She wore a leather jacket over a black top that was sleeveless and black leggings. she no longer wore the damned boots anymore, thank the Force.

"Hey, you want to come home with me honey?" A Devaronian asked, sliding next to her with a devilish grin. She looked at him with an unimpressed expression.

She then raised two fingers and concentrated.

"You will go home and piss off," She said. The Devaronian with the obvious horns and the red skin blinked in shock.

"I will go home and piss off," He stated and then left. She rolled her eyes. She then took a big swig of the ale, feeling its bite. She slammed the bottle.

"Another one!" She said, slamming a few credits down.

"Jeez, you trying to kill yourself lady?" The bartender, a Twi'lek asked.

"Maybe," She shrugged, her speech was a bit slurred. She produced a holoprojector and looked at it. Immediately the image appeared of her and Bellophoron together. At first glance, they seemed to be friends, but when one noticed where one of Bellophoron's hands were, it was obvious they were more than that. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"You a Jedi?" The twi'lek asked, his sickly green and hairless head jerked up at the hologram. She looked up at him. He seemed a bit scared, probably because of his liquor license and the fact that scum hung out here.

"Was," she said. The twi'lek blinked. She felt the presence of the other patrons who were most likely unsavory relax.

"What happened, if I may ask?" The alien asked, leaning forward.

"Lost my kid," She said, shrugging. She started to sniffle.

"You mean your 'apprentice', right?" The alien asked, his red eyes trying to clarify.

"Yeah, you can say that. But, for what it was: he was my kid." She said.

He blinked.

"Huh," He said, leaning back.

"So, uh, that the kid's father?" He asked, looking at the alien.

"Yeah," She said.

"So, let me get this straight: You were both Jedi and you had a kid together?" The bartender said, waving his finger between the hologram and the ex-Jedi.

"Well, technically, I'm not his biological mother nor was he his biological father." She said, shrugging. She took another swig.

"huh, the kid's name... what was it?" He asked.

"Why? Thinking of making a donation?" She asked, leaning forward.

"No, no. I'm just curious." The alien said, raising his hands in self-defense.

She sighed. The alcohol was clearly affecting her judgement.

"His name was Artyr Sym," She said. The twi'lek looked at her and then closed his eyes.

"So, he finally did die, after all." He said, shaking his head.

"Why? You know him?" She asked, leaning forward. The twi'lek nodded. He rolled up his sleeves, showing an array of tatoos in Rylothian and Basic.

"I was the guy that tattooed all those names on his back," He told her. He sighed.

"Every time after a battle, he'd come over to my shop with a list of numbers... clone serial numbers." He said.

"Of course, now, who the kriff wants to have that on your back? They're clones! They're canon fodder!" The twi'lek explained, gesturing. All of a sudden, there was a growing silence. He then smiled as he spoke.

"And yet, this kid, since he was thirteen, comes into my shop, risking both of our necks by breaking the law: to get the names of some clones he fought on his back." He said, pointing to his back.

"I remember asking him why did it," He said, looking at her solemnly. That's when she remembered.

"'He who sheds his blood today shall be my brother eternal,'" She said. The twi'lek slammed the bar.

"Damn straight," He said, nodding. He then grabbed two glasses. He poured Correllian ale down both of the shot glasses. One for her and one for him.

"To the righteous dead," He said to her.

"To the righteous dead," She echoed. They slung it back.


	20. Chapter 20: Courage To Tell

Chapter 20

Glynda sat down in her office as she wondered how to do this. She gripped her head as she looked out of her window to see the sun in the sky. The clouds were slowly drifting across the blue sky. Somewhere out there beyond the sky were her other two sons. Right now, all she had was Artyr.

It had been three weeks since Artyr had confessed to what he and the Jedi ddi in Ozpin's office. She felt horrified at what happened to her son. He had watched so much death and destruction in that awful war. He must've had scars that went deep.

 _"You have to tell him, Glynda." Ozpin had told her in that conversation afterwards._

 _"He spent sixteen years out there believing his parents had given him up voluntarily, and three years within that fighting a war. They probably never even told him who his father was!"_ _She had argued._

 _"It doesn't matter, Glynda." James Ironwood had counter-argued.  
_

 _"He's lived through hell and back. I've seen men like him before. They never come out unscathed from things like that." He had added._

 _"We still don't know where my other sons are! They could be dead in that war! Or something else!" She had said._

 _"If they ever show up here, we'll tell you, Glynda. You have our word as friends." Ozpin promised. James nodded._

 _"Hell, we'll make sure even Qrow is on the lookout for them." James said._

 _"I doubt he'd be interested," Glynda had told them, honestly._

 _"You still need to tell the boy!" James had told her_

She opened a drawer under her desk and produced a series of holophotos that she had kept. In each photo had been a happy and younger version of herself in usually a blue dress as she held a newborn infant. Alongside her, in his old Jedi robes, was a man who looked a bit like Artyr as a fully grown adult, only he was about two feet taller. He looked down at Glynda and the babe that she carried in her arms with love and devotion. However, in the next two pictures, she knew that the smiles were forced and the man's eyes while still showing love and devotion were increasingly sad.

When the first photo had been taken, she hadn't known about that awful tradition. But, afterwards, she had known what was to be their fate: taken from their mother without her consent and sent away to families who weren't their real parents and raised as warriors. She shook her head as she gripped the solid frame containing the holophoto.

The other two children could be dead, for all she knew. But, she still had hope that someday, they would return. Then, they would be a family again. A tear rolled down their cheek.

Whatever names they were given, their names would forever be, to her: Christopher Marcus Sym-Goodwitch, and Jakob Isaac Sym-Goodwitch; her second and third sons.

She looked up, trying to draw the strength and courage she needed to tell her long-lost firstborn the truth. Just then, there was a knock on the door. The door opened. She frowned.

"What do you want, Qrow?" She growled. Qrow peered in. His nose looked a bit better since it had been bloody and broken when Artyr punched him. There was a bruise around it.

"Mind if I come in?" He asked. She rolled her eyes.

"Shouldn't you be teaching over at Signal?" she asked, lowering her head as she glared at him.

Qrow shrugged as he walked in without permission to enter. He closed the door.

'Well, I'm on break right now." He said.

"Or you got suspended for drinking on the job again." She said, shaking her head as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Nah, nah." Qrow said, raising his hands.

"So, I wanted to say that I'm sorry for what happened a while back." He said, walking forward as he jerked his thumb back.

"Apologize to Artyr, not me." She told him.

"Glynda," He sighed.

"Ozpin told me about what you told him." He said, looking at her after looking down.

"I didn't know you and Aogust had two other kids." He stated. She sighed.

"Y'know, if you want, the next time I see that prick, I'll kick his ass for you?" He suggested, patting the scythe behind his back. She shook her head.

'You'd be lucky if you could even so much as tickle him,' She said, denying the offer.

"Well, my semblance is bad luck," Qrow said, crossing his arms as he smiled. Just then, her terminal started flickering as if to make a point. She shook her head as Qrow blinked.

"Not only that, but you must've married into quite the unusual family, huh?" Qrow asked.

"I haven't spoken with them since they took me back to Remnant after I gave birth to Jacob." She said, remembering as she looked down, thinking. Qrow's face fell.

"Your youngest,' He stated. She nodded.

"Well, you're a hell of a lot better than Raven, I can tell you that much!" Qrow said, walking over to her and putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I still haven't told him," She confessed.

"But, I will." She told him before he could say anything.

"Good. You've got a lot more courage than me." Qrow said. She raised an eyebrow. He sighed.

"I still haven't told the girls about their heritage," He confessed as well.

"Understandable, given your sister's new reputation and the fact that your clan sent you here to actually counter us." She reminded him. His face fell into a scowl.

"However, I will admit that you've done good, Qrow... all things considered." She admitted. Qrow blinked.

"Did... you just compliment me?" He asked, pointing at her. She shrugged.

"So, Oz told me that Artyr's penance will be a mission with me... by himself." The bandit-turned-huntsman said. Glynda made a worried look.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he comes out okay. You do remember his whole fricking family's practically unkillable right?" Qrow reminded her. She breathed a sigh of relief, remembering.

"Yeah,"

"Well, I'm heading out of here!" Qrow said, turning around.

"Oh, and Qrow:" She called. Qrow turned around.

"What'd you tell your nieces about the nose?" She asked. Qrow shrugged.

"Told them I got into a bar fight after I unintentionally hit on a guy's sister." He said, grinning. She shook her head.

"You really need to get your mind out of the gutter, Qrow." She told him. Qrow laughed without a response and left.

After that, she left the office to go get Artyr. It was time, she felt.

XXXX

Artyr had tried to hide his feelings as he ate. After what happened three weeks ago, he had started thinking about... well, everything. How he had been treating his teammates, how he had been... admittedly hypocritcal, and of course, how he had outright lied to everyone about not having a girlfriend, along with the conversation he had with Yang and Ruby's uncle, Ozpin, the headmaster for Atlas Academy, and Prfoessor Goodwitch.

Not only that, but the visions and nightmares he had were increasing by the day. Some nights he actually stayed up all night, studying or meditating, but even while he meditated, they still came.

Mostly it was about the tragic events that would come within the year, he knew. Yet again, he had wondered what he had gotten himself into. Not only that, but he couldn't help but feel that something was off. When he met Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch, he thought that they were telling the truth about not knowing anything about the Republic, the Jedi, or anything... but he couldn't help but feel they had been pretending, that a lot of the adults, with the exception of Oobleck and Port, and most of the teachers here, had been lying to him. When he had talked about the Force, Taiyang looked like he remembered something.

He had to wonder: had he been the first Jedi to come to Remnant or was there another before him? Why would the adults lie?

"Hey, is everything okay, Art? You look like you're worried about something." He heard Rebecca ask. He sighed as he leaned back. He looked down at his plate and pushed it away. He looked around at everyone. Since the first day at school, Teams ARTY, RUBY, and JNPR.

He looked at Rebecca. She was opposite of him. She moved some eggs with her fork and then looked at him.

"You've been staying up a few nights a week now, man. That's not healthy." Yi said.

"I don't study that much," Blake commented.

"He's not studying," Yi told the girl with the bow. The others looked at him.

"I know I should've kept this to myself, but I heard some of the nights that you slept, man." Yi told Art.

"You sound like you're seeing some bad shit," Tyler admitted.

"Stuff from the war off-world?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"You could say that," Artyr said, shrugging.

"We're your friends, Art. You can tell us," Ruby said, pleading.

"I'm sorry for acting like a jerk to you guys... and for lying to you all." Artyr announced as he confessed.

"What'd you lie to us about?" Ruby asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Did he ever show you his real form?" Tyler asked. Artyr wanted to tell him to not tell Ruby.

"I thought we weren't going to talk about that," Yi snapped at him.

"Nah, it's fine. It's best if they knew so they know what to expect if they see me angry in battle." Artyr told him. Rebecca sighed and nodded in agreement. She turned to the others.

"Artyr's real form is something big, really big." She said.

"Think bigger than Cardin." She stated.

"He's brown like-tree bark and more muscular than anyone we know." Yi added.

"Not only that, but he's strong as a goddamned ape."Tyler said, rubbing the same arm that Artyr had pressed up against him.

"His eyes are like, grayish-green and have no pupils." He said.

The others looked at Art, slowly.

"How come you never showed us?" Ruby asked.

"I'm not proud of it," Artyr admitted.

"Ty here talked back to him and Artyr pressed him against the wall like it was nothing. Not only that, but when he turns into that... well, alien: his voice gets _real_ deep." Yi said, gesturing to his throat.

"You've got to turn into that when we spar," Yang said, excited at the prospect of the challenge. Artyr grimaced.

"Yang... I get brutal in that form." He said, looking at her. He couldn't bear the thought of hurting any one of them, even though Ty was a bit of a prick at times.

He then told them how he had turned into that form on the mission with Master Bellophoron, the one where he encountered the Rancor, as well as describing how big it was, how terrible it looked.

"And you tore that thing apart with your bare hands at the age of eleven?" Weiss asked, looking at him.

"Damn," Ren said.

"That sounds so cool! You can tear apart monsters with your bare hands!" Nora said, excitedly. Artyr sighed as he folded his hands and leaned his head forward.

"Nora, this is causing him a lot of pain." Pyrrha told her.

"Art... are you able to control it?" She asked, worried.

"I can only turn into it when I'm angry and under stress," He admitted.

"You killed people in that form, didn't you?" Blake asked, softly. He slowly nodded.

"I killed my master's killer, that day on Geonosis." He started to say. Everyone leaned in to hear the story.

"You never talk about what happened during the war," Ruby said.

"Not true, he told me that there was someone with my name that he served with and that he died," Blake told her.

He then told them what happened on Geonosis. He described how after they had arrived from another mission, Master Bellophoron and he had been called into the briefing room along with a hundred other Jedi. He told them how Master Kenobi had been on Geonosis tracking down Jango Fett, that was when he dropped a bombshell.

"The Republic military is made up almost entirely of clones," He confessed. Everyone looked at him.

"Almost everyone outside and even most Jedi see them as mass-produced canon fodder." He told them. Everyone was shocked.

"That's insane," Pyrrha said.

"Holy shit," Yi said, blinking.

"Whoa,"

"That's barbaric!" Blake said, angrily. He sighed.

"Clones age twice as fast as regular humans, that way they're ready for combat with ten years instead of twenty."

"Child soldiers... genetically engineered child soldiers," Blake said, shaking her head. Ruby looked at him.

"Why didn't you use natural-born people?" Rebecca asked.

"Ten years ago, a Jedi named Sifo-Dyas, without orders from the Council ordered its construction. The Senate later authorized it and they became our soldiers." He told them.

"Nobody knew about it until Master Kenobi was chasing down a bounty hunter named Jango Fett, who had been trying to assassinate a Galactic Senator." He said.

"Fett," Artyr sighed.

"Jango Fett was a Mandalorian bounty hunter... his people used to be war-like but not anymore. He was an outcast and somehow ended up being the primary genetic template for the Clones."

"What?" Ruby asked, confused.

"He's saying that he's the father of all the clones," Weiss snapped.

"So, he was an assassin, bounty-hunter, and the father of your whole military." Yang said, recapping it.

"That's messed up," Yi said.

"Tell me about it, I don't think the clones even know about what he did as well." He sighed.

"Fett was also under the employ of Count Dooku," He said. Ruby then sat up as did Yang.

"Didn't you say that Count Dooku was the leader of your people's enemies? The Separatists?" Yang asked.

"Along with being an ex-Jedi?" Ruby asked. Artyr nodded.

"So, not only was he all that, but he was working for the enemy..." Jaune said in disbelief.

"He also killed my master," Artyr told them all. They looked at him.

"And I killed him after he did it," He added. There was silence. He told them how it happened. After they had arrived on Geonosis, they snuck into the arena without the Geonosians noticing. Jedi Master Kenobi had been tied to a pillar along with Senator Amidala and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker. He talked about how the prisoners had tried hard to stay alive. Then, the Jedi had stepped in and that's when the chaos began.

He described how it was complete and utter chaos as Jedi fought Geonosian drones, describing them as well, as well as droids that had been produced on Geonosis. He then recalled vocally the memory of Master Bellophoron's death. He described how he had told Master Bell about a vision he had of his death before the battle, Bellophoron, told him 'if I die, I die' he said.

Then, he talked about how Master Bell went after Dooku in his box. Artyr tried to hold back the tears as he described how the Jedi Knight force-jumped into the box. He had activated his lightsaber only for Jango Fett to raise his weapon at him.

Above the chaos and the sounds of battle, Artyr had heard the sounds of Jango's blaster. He watched as with each round poured into his master, his master staggered backwards, and fell over the rail of the box he was in, falling to the ground.

He remembered running over to his master as fast as he could, seconds after his master fell from the box to the ground. Artyr recalled with tears as the last thing his master did as the boy cradled the male alien's head was look up at him and raise his hand to touch his cheek as he opened his mouth to speak. Then, his mouth froze as his eyes became glassy and his hand fell. Artyr felt the man die in the Force.

He then remembered hearing Jango standing behind him. He had been so caught up that the Mandalorian was right behind him.

"'Nothing personal, kid', he told me." Artyr said, shaking as he spoke. He spat the words out. He looked up. He then told them what his response had been, and it had been brutal. He recalled how he had transformed into his other form, which was smaller then, and killed the bounty hunter with his bare hands. He also told them about how Jango's son had watched it all from the alcove above the arena and Dooku had watched the whole event. He recalled seeing the old man's face look at him in horror as the padawan swore vengeance against him.

Everyone looked at him weirdly as he spoke about it. He looked up at them all.

"Jedi are supposed to have no emotions. We're not supposed to get angry." He told them.

"I was kind of the exception," He told them, sighing.

"It's happened several times afterwards, usually when something really bad happened." He confessed. Before anyone could speak.

"No, I never killed any civilians," He told them, honestly. He looked at them all honestly.

"I'm sorry," He told them.

"I'm not what I'm supposed to be nor am I what you think I am," He said, looking at Ruby in particular as she looked at him.

"In truth, I was the Order's dirty little secret because of my rage," He admitted.

"When I wasn't fighting in the frontlines, I went on missions with Republic Commandos, basically our special forces." He said.

"Every time that kind of incident happened, I got sent to the clone's homeworld of Kamino, where they were all manufactured." He explained.

"Why? Why were you sent there?" Blake asked.

"It's because of my genetics," He told them.

"I'm practically unkillable. I've been shot at, blown up, and hit with heavy objectss: I never so much as gotten a cut or a broken bone." He told them.

"So, you're invincible... and immortal," Pyrrha said, thinking. He nodded.

"Is everyone like you in the Order?" Ruby asked.

"He just said his master died, you dumbass!" Weiss snapped.

"Jeez, sorry!" Ruby asked, hurt.

"I'm possibly the only one of my kind in the whole galaxy," Artyr explained.

"Nobody knows what my race is called or where we're from. Hell, Master Yoda never told me who my parents were." He explained.

"I must also confess that on Kamino, my blood was tested to see if I could get diseases." Artyr said, remembering what Lira had told him.

"Wait, they gave you diseases?" Weiss asked in shock, standing up and putting her hands on the table.

"It's likely that no one back out there even knows just what he is," Blake suggested.

"You must be really special to survive all that, Art." Tyler told him.

"Well, it was my blood that got tested, not me particularly." he said.

"So, you can get hurt by needles? That's your weakness?" Rebecca asked. Artyr nodded.

"They even tried putting poison in, actually."

Everyone looked at him in shock.

"They poisoned you?! What the fuck?!" Yang asked.

"That's fucking evil!" Yi yelled. Others were looking their way as they yelled.

"I came out okay," Artyr said, shrugging.

"You were their lab rat!" Blake told him honestly.

"Well, that's not the only thing I was while at Kamino." Artyr said, shrugging again. They all looked at him curiously. Artyr then produced a holoprojector and activated it.

"Remember when I said that Jedi can't have personal attachments? That they can't marry or have sex?" He asked Yang and Ruby. The two nodded.

"Whoa, space monks." Nora commented, bored.

"Well, I broke that rule." Artyr said, going through various holograms to a particular image. He then set it on the table. Everyone looked.

"What... is that?" Weiss asked, looking at it.

"That's an alien," Ruby said, obviously.

"Is it... a boy or a girl?" Yang asked, looking closely.

"I was just going to ask that," Nora told her as they all inspected it.

"Nah, it's a girl. Look how it-she's dressed." Jaune said.

"But, 'she' has no hair!" Weiss said. Everyone looked up.

"That's my lover, my 'girlfriend' if you will." Artyr said, smiling. Everyone looked from the hologram showing Artyr and his girlfriend in an embrace. His left arm wrapped around her waist as his other hand held her left hand. Her right arm was on his right shoulder as they looked out and then back at eachother.

"Unbelieveable," Weiss said, shaking her head.

"Damn... you have a taste for tall women." Yang commented.

"So... did you sleep with her?" She asked. Almost everyone looked at her in shock.

"Yang!" Ruby and Weiss barked at her.

"That's inappropriate!" Blake snapped.

Jaune shivered and then froze as unwanted images came into his head. He started hitting himself to get them out. Pyrrha shook her head in disapproval. Nora simply looked at Art and asked if that was true with Ren telling her 'That's not right to ask'.

Rebecca's jaw dropped and she blushed. Yi and Tyler shook their heads.

"No, actually." Artyr told them all as he raised his hand. The projector came back into his hand and he put it back into his pocket.

"We've been keeping it chaste. Y'see, her uncle is the prime minister of the entire planet." He told them.

"Dude, you're lucky to be alive!" Yi said.

"So, you've been keeping it secret for how long without anyone noticing?" Tyler asked.

"Three years," He admitted.

"Dude, that's some serious commitment if you're not having sex for three years."

"We had a few close calls." he admitted.

"TMI," A lot of people around the table said.

"But, so far, none have suspected a thing. But," he sighed.

"She kept telling me that I should leave the Order and come back to her on Kamino. Then, after that, we go off and start a new life somewhere." he sighed as he recalled the fights that they had. He shook his head.

'I should've told her constantly how much I love her,' He thought.

"The last time I talked to her was when I left for the mission that got me sent here."

"Y'know... you never told us how you got to Remnant." Ruby said, thinking.

"Yeah," Ruby said, thinking.

"I asked Professor Ozpin if there had been a spaceship sighting or something around or before that time and he told me that there had been none." She confessed. Everyone looked at him.

"How did you arrive? People just don't show up out of thin air." Blake asked. Everyone looked at him expectantly. He was about to tell them the story of the Arthuron mission when all of a sudden, he saw Professor Goodwitch walk up to the table. Everyone looked up at her in fear.

"Mister Sym, can you please come with me? I need to talk to you about something.' Professor Goodwitch said, formally. She had her hands behind her as she spoke. Artyr stood up.

"Yes, ma'am." Artyr said, nodding.

"He then looked at everyone.

"I'll tell you all everything later," He told them. She looked at him with a tilted head.

"He's not getting expelled, is he?" Ruby asked, worried. Glynda looked at her, annoyed.

"No, as a matter of fact, I'm just going to talk to him about something." She said, looking at her . Artyr had to wonder what it was she was going to talk to him about.

 _'Ah, crap'._ He thought.

 _'Must've found out about my other form'._ He thought, worried.

He then went with her.

"Where are we going?" He asked, trying not to sound worried.

"My office," She stated.

 _'Krrrrrriiiiiiiiiiifffffff,'_ He thought.

As they walked to her office, she looked at him.

"So, what was that I saw on the table?" She asked him, curious. Artyr blushed.

"Remember when we were-" Students walked past them and Artyr kept his mouth shut until they were out of earshot.

"When we were in Ozpin's office and I told Qrow that I had a girlfriend on Kamino?" He asked.

"That's the planet she's from, yes?" She asked, interested.

"Well, you might've just seen her actual form on the hologram." She looked at him in shock as they walked and then kept her eyes forward as she kept blinking.

"How old is she and how old are you again?" She asked.

"Both of us are sixteen, ma'am." He admitted as they went to her office. She opened the door and again, there was a bit of a surprise. Artyr walked in to see Professor Ozpin and...

"Well, how's it going, drunk old man?" Artyr asked.

"Oh, fine and dandy." Qrow answered, sarcastically. His nose still looked kind of messed up, even though it had been reset. There was still bruising around it.

"Why are you both here? I thought I was going to have a private conversation?" The professor asked, looking at both of them.

"Well, I figured we might as well tell him, together." Qrow said. Artyr looked around at the three of the teachers and the headmaster.

'Tell me what'? He thought.

"You're supposed to be back at Signal, Qrow!" Goodwitch said, angrily.

"Actually," Qrow said, rubbing the back of his head.

"He took the day off," Ozpin said for him. Artyr blinked.

"Can I be blunt and ask just what the kriff is going on here?" Artyr asked, a bit weirded out. Glynda spun and then spoke in a very angry tone. Her face was red. That face of hers made Artyr want to piss his pants as she glared at him.

" _Artyr Merlin Sym-Goodwitch!_ I know what that word means and I'll not have it!" She roared. Artyr was about to speak in his defense when he noticed what she had said. Qrow and Ozpin smiled as they looked at eachother.

Glynda then froze, blinked and started laughing. Artyr blinked and stepped back towards the door.

Was she going crazy.

"I always wanted to call you that if you ever did anything wrong if you lived with me." She said, smiling. It looked like she was relieved.

He looked at the three of them.

"'Artyr Merlin Sym-Goodwitch'?" Artyr repeated, weirded out. What the kriff was going on?


	21. Chapter 21: Explain the Family

Chapter 21

(A/N: Well, it's been about twenty chapters. Time for the truth to be revealed! To Artyr at least)

"You're going to want to sit down, kid. We've got a whole lot to talk about." Qrow said, gesturing to a seat as he leaned on Goodwitch's desk. All of a sudden, the supports buckled and the whole thing crashed down with Qrow falling on his butt.

 _"Monty Oum, Qrow!"_ Professor Goodwitch roared at him. She produced her wand and flicked it. The desk came back up as Qrow also went back up. Why was she yelling at Qrow?

Artyr blinked as he was led by the witch to the chair in front of her.

"What... is going on?" Artyr asked, slowly. She had called him 'Artyr Merlin Sym-Goodwitch'.

"First of all, I'm sorry that we've been lying to you for almost a month now." Ozpin apologized with a sorrowful look. Artyr blinked.

"Not just about Arlina, right?" He asked for clarification, raising a finger.

"No, not just her." The headmaster confirmed. The sun gleamed through the windows.

"Artyr... did your master or anyone in the Order ever tell you about Jedi Master Aogust Sym? Or any other Sym for that matter?" Ozpin asked. Artyr slowly turned his head.

"Where did you hear that name?" He asked, leaning forward. Yoda had told him when he was a boy that he had been named after an old apprentice he had five hundred years ago: Aogust Sym.

"That's because we met the guy," Qrow stated. Artyr blinked slowly and leaned his head forward.

"Well, I never met the guy before him, or the guy before that, and so on and so forth." Qrow said, gesturing as he spoke with waves of his hand.

"You're not the first Jedi to arrive here on Remnant, Artyr." Professor Goodwitch said, solemnly.

"Nor do I think you'll be the last." Ozpin said, sipping his cup of coffee. Artyr shook his head and frowned.

"That's not possible..." He said, thinking.

"When was the last time the Jedi, the other Jedi, ever talked or saw Aogust Sym?" Ozpin asked. Artyr looked up.

"The last time anyone saw him was five centuries ago. He was sent to a mission in the Outer Rim and he never came back." He answered. The headmasters looked at eachother.

"Five hundred years?" Qrow asked. Artyr nodded. He looked at Ozpin and Glynda.

"Glynda, you've been-" Glynda glared at the former bandit as he spoke. He then straightened himself.

"Never mind, I won't say it."

"He was Master Yoda's apprentice... _Yoda_ named _me_ after him." He said, shaking his head as he thought.

"That's not true, actually." Goodwitch started to say, sighing. She went behind the desk and sat down. She then produced three holophotos and a stapled set of papers.

She then handed Artyr the set of papers.

"I trust that you now have mastered at the very least a bit of Vytalian?" Ozpin asked, looking at him. Artyr read it.

 _Subject : Artyr Sym_

Biological DNA Test Results

 _Unknown DNA detected._

 _50%- Human_

 _25%-Possible Extra-Terrestrial_

 _25% Unknown variant of Human not local to Remnant (Extra-Terrestrial Human)_

 _Summary:_

 _The subject's paternal DNA is similar to notable Huntsman Aogust Sym (Birthplace and Birthdate unknown)._

 _The subject's mitochondrial DNA is also similar to that of Glynda Goodwitch, now-Chief Disciplinarian and part of the faculty at Beacon Academy._

 _The subject's extra-Remnant human and even extraterrestrial DNA is a bit perplexing as there have been no known cases of Extra-Remnant humans appearing in the world in human history, much less extra-terrestrial though if you count various legends from throughout aforementioned history._

 _We believe that this particular person's genetics warrant further study along with investigations into the background of both the current subject and his apparent biological father._

 _However, per Headmaster Ozpin's request, along with Headmaster James Ironwood of Atlas Military Academy (General of the Atlesian military) our lab shall keep these results a secret from public view for approximately seventy-five years hence._

 _With regards,_

 _Dr. Martha Lee_

 _Tranquility Genetics Laboratories_

Artyr looked up at Glynda Goodwitch. He didn't know what to say or make of it all. He blinked as thoughts raced in his head.

"Artyr," Glynda Goodwitch said as she reached forward and extended her hand. Artyr looked at it and then slowly put his hand in hers. He looked up at her as she looked at him. Her eyes no longer that of a strict disciplinarian, but that of a mother. she took off her glasses.

"I'm your mother," She confessed. He looked at her. He opened his mouth to speak.

"I know it doesn't make any sense," she said, shaking her head.

"But," She sighed as she gripped his hand tightly.

"I didn't want to give you away, at all." She told him.

"I didn't want you to be given to the Order. Your father," She then started to speak with anger.

"Your father gave you away without my consent. He said he didn't want to do it either, but he said that it was a family tradition." She told him with pain in her voice as she spoke. Qrow and Ozpin looked at the two with sympathy. Artyr shook his head.

"My father is... Aogust Sym..." He said. Did Yoda know? Had he known about Goo-Mom? Had anyone known about this back home?! Did the Council know?! Why?! Why didn't anyone tell him?! Did Lira know, God bless her?!

"Your family has a long history of coming here, Artyr." Ozpin said. He looked up at the man.

"That, and of being Jedi." The headmaster added. The Jedi frowned as he shook his head in disbelief. This was insane!

"If that's true, why hasn't anyone from the Council come here?! In fact, this planet should be brought into the Republic at the least!" He said, his voice rising.

"That's because, this planet _isn't_ in _your_ galaxy, kid." Qrow told him flatly as he crossed his arms. Artyr looked at the drunk.

"It's true. A long time back, there was another Sym, your great-grandfather, I think." Goodwitch said, their hands now apart.

"His name was Marcus Sym, one of many with that name." Ozpin added.

"He brought star charts after our planet started getting advanced into modern day technology, even making star charts of our galaxy and beyond." He explained.

"Well, we compared the star charts from Marcus then and our own star charts and it's pretty much evident that, uh." Ozpin sighed.

"Art... you're not in your home galaxy. I don't think you're even in your home universe." The headmaster said, shaking his head.

"This _is_ his home," Glynda told him. Artyr's face paled as he blinked. He wasn't just outside of the Republic, he was in an alternate dimension?! That's insane! That was junk science!

Artyr didn't know what to say or to think.

"This world has been visited by members of your family since ancient times." Ozpin explained.

"Legends of your family's exploits are now regarded as mere rumor and just that, legends. However, there are several who know the truth. And many faunus have heard of your father's exploits." He added.

" I've met each and every one of those Syms." He said, looking at Artyr. Artyr looked up at him with confusion. What was he saying.

"Remember how I told you that Salem and I have been enemies for a very long time?" He asked, taking off his glasses.. Artyr nodded.

"Few people know this, but thousands of years ago, I was supposed to stop Salem." He told him.

"Before that, I was adopted by one of the original members of the Jedi Order: Adahm Sym." He explained. Artyr blinked and his jaw dropped. Ozpin smiled at the boy's reaction.

"Yes, I too am part of your family. And _our_ family has been part of the Order since it's founding." His newly-revealed ancestral uncle

"Not only that, but _our_ family is part of a very powerful race of beings." He further explained.

"According to my adopted father, Adam, their world had been taken over by a great evil before they became powerful. To survive, they genetically modified themselves under the most extreme conditions. During their war as they made their stand against this evil, they discovered that certain families among them were possibly magical in nature or in your family's case: Force-sensitive." He explained.

Artyr shook his head at the sheer absurdity of what was being told to him. This was impossible! What was the name of their homeworld and the name of his people? Why didn't they tell him this before?! What was with the cloak and dagger bullshit?!

"Upon losing their home, they vowed never to let other worlds and by extension: _dimensions_ suffer a similar fate." Uncle Oz explained.

"From what I hear, they use portals with some kind dust or crystal in the center of a metal ring that takes them to their destination." Ozpin explained. "I've never seen one myself, actually. I spent a long time looking for one, but never did." He admitted.

"But, I've heard the same story so many times before: they go to a planet while on a mission which varies, find the portal, touch it, and voila' they're here on Remnant." He explained.

"I'm assuming that's what happened to you, dear nephew?" Ozpin asked, gesturing.

"For instance, when I failed to stop Salem, despite my powers as a mage, the gods of our world cursed me to be reincarnated until Salem could finally be stopped." He said.

"'Gods?" Artyr asked, dipping his head.

"That's right, the twin gods. One light and one dark. One the creator and the other the destroyer. They abandoned this planet a long time ago." Qrow explained. It sounded like the duality of the Force.

"Fearing that I may not succeed, Adam made a blood oath in their presence before I failed. He cut his own hand and put it over mine as he swore he'd do everything he could to help me even at the cost of his life. He also swore that children he may or may not know would help me complete my task." He added, gesturing like he wielded a knife.

The boy blinked.

"My ancestor did _that?_ " This whole thing seemed insane: His family being both Jedi and a race of powerful aliens that did blood oaths... what the hell was going on?!

"And since then, at each and every one of my incarnations, our family has been there, aiding me." He said.

"And now," Ozpin said, smiling as he looked at his many-times grand-nephew.

"It's your turn, it would seem. Though, I wish you were a bit older. Usually you're all about twenty or older." Ozpin said, thinking.

"After they spend some time here, your family has a tendency to go missing. I haven't seen any of them from my father all the way down to you." Ozpin said, a bit worried.

"It makes me worried as to why they leave without so much as a 'goodbye'." He added.

"And inviting me to their weddings... or their children's births...or any other celebratory event." He added, angrily.

Artyr shook his head at the sheer absurdity of it all. The headmaster of this school was not just an immortal.. he was also his ancestor's firstborn adopted son... and thereby his many-times great-grand-uncle.

"What's your stake in all of this, Qrow?" Artyr asked the ex-bandit.

"Twenty-four years ago, when team STRQ was starting out, we met your Dad." Qrow said. Artyr tilted his head in confusion.

"Taiyang never told you, did he?" He grinned as he explained. The padawan shook his head. Qrow produced a photograph and gave it to him.

"Y'see, we do things by a process. Whenever a Sym arrives, Oz over there pretends he doesn't know you at first so that the shock would be lessened." Qrow explained.

"Taiyang knew?!" Artyr said, shocked. No wonder he acted a bit strange!

"Besides, how would you feel if you arrived to find out that the guy that met you is actually your long-lost immortal uncle?" Qrow asked, rhetorically.

"You were all in on it," Artyr realized. Taiyang, Mom, Qrow, and...

"Are Ruby and Yang in on it, too?!" He asked. Qrow raised a dismissive hand.

"Nah, nah. Yang barely remembers Aogust as he left when she was just two years old. And that was before Petal was born." Qrow said.

"That's what I like to call Ruby : Petal." He said.

"More than eighteen years ago before Yang was born, our team was out clearing Grimm in a village far outside of Vale." Qrow said, remembering.

"Ruby's mom, Summer or 'Short-stack' as I called her, had silver eyes. You may have seen a picture around Taiyang's house" He added.

"I saw it back at Taiyang's house," The Jedi admitted.

"Well, people with those eyes are special. There's an old legend that says that people with those eyes are great warriors, killing a Grimm with so much as a glance." The bandit explained. Artyr frowned, not believing it.

"I believe that both our family and those were Silver-eyes were great friends and allies, if I recall correctly." Ozpin said, thinking. "Well, it was my father that befriended them. He helped them out from time to time." Uncle Oz said, shrugging. Qrow then started his tale.

"Anyway, we were clearing out a shit ton of Grimm east of Vale." Glynda glared at him as he cursed.. Qrow shrunk but then continued.

"It was dark, no moon out that night." He remembered.

"We were tired, hadn't eaten or slept in days," He continued, shaking his head.

"I thought we were done for, even my sister thought we were going to be done for because of the amount of Grimm we were fighting." He said.

"Just then, we saw some lights off in the distance."

"We were in a forested area back then, mind you." He said, interrupting the story as he looked at Artyr.

"Of course, we thought it was a new kind of Grimm that attracted its prey with pretty lights... plenty of those, right?" He chuckled.

"Then, just like that: the Grimm turn away from us." He said, snapping his fingers.

"Next thing we knew, a whole bunch of Grimm come in. We all just heard a whole horde of Grimm either fly or come running in as if something attracted them." He said.

"What usually attracts Grimm are people that have negative emotions. Well, whatever it was: it had a lot of negative feelings." Qrow said.

"We started hearing some strange noises and smelled charred meat in the distance. A lot of screaming too, like Grimm screaming." He recalled.

"Then, there was a loud boom and we all felt this gust of wind come out from deep within the forest. Trees broke apart like twigs, leaves, and dust went everywhere." Qrow said, making a sweeping motion with his arms.

"Short-stack went off to see what it was and we followed afterwards." He smiled at the memory.

"What we saw was insane: There were Grimm corpses _everywhere_." He said, emphasizing the last word.

"Broken like chinaware, slashed in two, beheaded," He listed the various causes with his fingers.

"And there, in the middle of it all, stood this guy about your height then." Qrow said, thinking.

"I remember thinking 'Who the fuck's this guy?'" He chuckled.

"The guy wore a brown robe over some kind of tan tunic. We noticed that he held two glowing swords that were straight like an arrow. One was green, the other blue." Ruby's uncle added. Artyr blinked. Dad had been a dual-wielding Jedi like Ahsoka!

"And then, the guy turns to us with his hood shadowing his face. He deactivates his laser-swords and pulls down his hood." He said, gesturing.

"He looked a lot like you, kid." Qrow said, jerking his chin at the boy.

"Well, he told us who he was, we told him who he was. He asked us what planet he was on, we told him where he was... and of course, he asked where the nearest space-port was so he could catch a ride." Qrow said.

"After that, Team STRQ came back to Vale and debriefed me. I didn't tell your father about our relationship until about six months, after he started dating Glynda." Uncle Oz said.

"Needless to say, he wasn't happy about it." Mom sighed.

"Yeah, he was kind of depressed. He stopped going out with us and started doing things on his own. Of course, we had to track him down and get him back because he's Ozpin's many-times great-grand-nephew." Qrow said, sighing.

"Your dad left a literal trail of destruction. I mean: he busted up bars, destroyed whole bandit clans( save the women and children), the works." Qrow added.

"I had to go with them to calm him down," Mom added her two cents.

"For awhile things were alright... then not so much when I had you kids." Mom told him.

Artyr thought for a moment. Master Yoda never really spoke about Aogust or rather... Dad. He still couldn't believe his Dad was a five-hundred-year-old displaced Jedi!

"Of course, what he never told _us_ was that he and your Mom had kids" Qrow said, angrily as he crossed his arms.

Artyr looked at his mother. She showed him the photographs. He saw his mom back when she was younger and his father in his Jedi robes. He looked a lot like him. However, he noticed that in each photograph, Mom held a different child. While Mom had looked like she had aged a bit, Dad hadn't aged past his early twenties.

"I have brothers," He whispered, looking at the photos in shock.

"Christopher and Jacob, yes.' Mom said, nodding sadly.

"Your father gave them away as well. To whom, he never told me." She sighed, shaking her head.

"But, at least you're here." she said, smiling. She gripped his hand, tightly.

"You're back and you're staying here." She said. Artyr blinked. Qrow and Ozpin smiled at the warm moment. He swore that Qrow was wiping something out of his eye.

"I don't believe any of it," He said, shaking his head.

"I mean... this is insane!" He said. They looked at him with worry.

"Artyr, I've seen your father change into that form before." Qrow told him. Artyr looked up at him.

"When you guys fight in battle: it's like you're demons. Completely brutal and ruthless." He told him.

"When your ancestors came over time, they would tell me everything that happened back home or what happened to them." Ozpin explained.

"But, they never told me about the Sith Holocaust, which is disconcerting." Ozpin admitted.

"And they never told me about the Clan Brenoa Massacre," He added.

"Arlina said something about that when we had our spat," Artyr told him.

"That clan, according to what Arlina told me, had been Mandalorian, 'brothers to House Vizla'. She said." Ozpin told him.

"You could say they were a bit more noble than our Clan... slightly." Qrow said, gesturing with his thumb and index finger real close to each other. Artyr looked at him.

"Yeah, she told me a bunch as she reset my nose." Qrow said.

"On a side note, both your grandfather and your father knew about Arlina, but paid her no attention as they realized that all she wanted was to raise her family in peace." Ozpin explained. The padawan sighed.

"The Mandalorians and the Jedi have had wars against each other in the past." Artyr told them.

"I'm aware of those wars. The Mandalorians were great and terrible conquerors, if I'm not mistaken. I heard about the atrocities they committed." Ozpin said in agreement.

"Anyway, Clan Brenoa was considered one of the worst. Massacring and raping whole villages, and at one point: killed an entire colony. The Jedi sent after them were killed time and again. The last Jedi they sent was Mikael Sym." He said. Artyr frowned. He never heard that name.

"Mikael was alright by my standards. He never told me what he did, but he did tell me about the war itself, never going into certain details, I suspect." Ozpin commented.

"But, what was never said was that he tricked Clan Brenoa, all one thousand, five hundred, and seventy-two of them, into coming to a deserted planet." He said, telling the story.

"He met them all in open battle and slew every last one of their warriors." Ozpin said. Artyr's eyes widened. Qrow sighed and whispered something about how his family might come to that end.

"I found out from Arlina as I told her about Mikael that it's possible the reason why he had killed the whole clan was because they had tortured and murdered his padawan: Nisara Gelos. She had been something like a daughter to him as he spoke often of her." Ozpin said, remembering what happened.

"In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the reason why the Jedi Council probably kept your name from being spoken to the Senate or the Chancellor, is because your family is pretty brutal in battle. One Sym can take out an entire army of Mandalorians and even Sith." Ozpin said, matter-of-fact.

Artyr looked at him.

"Sith feared us?" He said, thinking of what Arlina had said. Ozpin nodded.

"However," Ozpin sighed.

"For the life of me, I have always wondered why your family never so much as killed Salem in all this time." He said, rubbing his chin.

"By all rights, she should be dead... or she may be more powerful than anyone realized, myself included." Ozpin said.

"I'm supposed to stop Salem?" Artyr said in disbelief, thinking of the scary woman of his visions.

"Well, not you alone, of course." Ozpin said, reassuringly.

"No," Glynda told him. Ozpin looked at her.

"Glynda, his family promised that they would send their descendants here to help us for all time. It's his turn to help us." He said to his... niece-in law? Artyr was trying to figure it out. He shook his head.

"I'm not having him fight against her," Glynda said, crossing her arms.

"Glynda, things are changing. We all know that when there's a Sym: there's trouble brewing." Qrow said.

Artyr then thought about the visions he had. He had been having visions of the people that he cared about here on this planet getting attacked, losing limbs, or even their lives. He had visions of the coming dark days.

"There's something I"ve been keeping from you all. Something I should tell you all." Artyr announced, looking at them all. They all looked at them.

"Ever since I was five, I had visions and nightmares. All the time," He said.

"I saw Master Bellophoron die, Hunter squad..." Artyr started to say. Ozpin and Qrow looked at him, concerned.

"Aogust had those too, all the time." Qrow said, affirming it.

"I saw Beacon Academy get attacked." Artyr confessed. Everyone's faces paled. He then told them about the visions that he had of what would happen: Pyrrha's death, the Grimm attacking the academy, the people dying, and Yang losing her arm. He told them about the girl in the red dress. He also told them about the vision he had of Leonardo Lionheart's death and apparent treason.

"That fucking cowardly, traitorous son of a bitch!" Qrow barked, slamming his fist into Mom's desk. Glynda breathed heavily and Ozpin sighed as he shook his head.

"He clearly has changed a lot. He used to be so brave and yet to suffer an ignoble end..." Ozpin said, shaking his head.

"It looked like he dies after a battle. He talked about someone named Cinder and something about a relic being taken. It looks like this happens some time in the future after Beacon falls." Artyr said.

"If it falls," Ozpin told him.

"Still doesn't change the fact that we've got a traitor."

"We don't know who else is snitching to Salem!" Qrow argued.

"If Artyr knows, we'll know."

"What's this 'relic of choice' Leo will talk about?" Artyr asked. The three looked between eachother.

"Artyr, a long time ago..." Ozpin said.

"I gave four young women special powers. They are called the Maidens. Each maiden is named after a certain season: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter." He stated.

"The Gods, before they left, also made certain powerful relics. And those relics are in special chambers in each academy that can only be unlocked by one of those maidens. The relic of Knowledge is what we have right now." Ozpin said.

"Unfortunately, we also have the Fall Maiden... in a comatose state in a sealed room in the Academy." Qrow said, sadly. Artyr looked at him. Then, searing pain entered his skull and he grunted in pain as he held it.

"Art!" Mom shouted in fear.

 _He saw a brown-skinned young woman, a teenager with a beauty mark. Her hair was short, down to her neck. She was in some kind of cryotube in a comatose state. She looked like she was in pain as she 'slept'._

 _In another scene, she saw how she was drained in her weakened state by the red dressed girl. He watched in horror as the teenager, the Fall Maiden, died and the villainous young woman stood over her body with her eyes aglow like fire. She smiled, wickedly._

Artyr snapped out of it. The three adults looked at him with worried expressions.

"Consider whatever security measures you have, completely defective in what's going to happen." Artyr said, solemnly. Qrow looked at him, even more worried.

"she's going to get completely drained of her power by the red-dressed girl that I've been seeing. I have no clue as to what her name is," Artyr said, shrugging.

"Well, this is just fucking terrific!" Qrow said, sarcastically, raising his arms as he looked to the sky.

"It was all for nothing," He said, facepalming. Artyr looked at him.

"I was the one who saved Amber the first time." He explained. Artyr then thought about something.

"Has there been more than one Sym on the planet at one time, Professor Ozpin?" Artyr asked, looking at him. Ozpin looked at him.

"Well, there were times, when there were twin brothers from the same father here, though that happened quite a few times." Ozpin said, thinking.

"Why?" He asked.

Qrow looked at him.

"What are you thinking, kid?" Qrow asked. Artyr thought about it.

"Salem knows I"m here, right?" He asked, looking up.

"I hope not," Mom said, worried.

"Not only that, but you're just a padawan- an apprenitce, not a full knight." She added.

"Art, what are you thinking?" Qrow asked again. Artyr scratched his chin and then grinned wickedly. He looked at Ozpin.

"I'm thinking about starting the Remnant branch of the Jedi Order." He answered. The three adults looked at him. Qrow laughed.

"You?! Start an order?!" Qrow scoffed.

"Most likely, Salem knows I'm here. She's going to think it's just," Artyr raised a finger.

"One Jedi. But, what's she going to do when she finds out: there's a lot more than one running around?" He asked.

"That," Qrow started to say, thinking.

"Is a very stupid idea." He told the kid.

"There are very few people here that have telekinesis for a semblance. And there are few that have telepathy. No one on this planet is Force-sensitive," Ozpin told him.

"Believe me, I would know." He added.

"I'm not saying Jedi with force powers- I'm saying Jedi with lightsabers." Artyr told them.

"Lightsabers? Well, who are you going to teach? You can't just have everyone in the whole damn school just show up because they want to learn your fancy moves, kid." Qrow said.

"Not only that, but there is the possibility of informants and others with less desirable goals." Ozpin added to Qrow's statement. Artyr then thought about it.

"Start out small, then branch out." He said, nonchalantly.

"Kid, you're just a padawan- an apprentice, if what your dear old Dad told me was true." Qrow told him.

"Except: I have my visions." He said. Qrow looked at him.

"You're thinking about preventing the fall of our school," Ozpin said. The Jedi nodded.

"Think about it:" Artyr told them.

"Salem's faction is used to having one guy running around with a lightsaber," Artyr continued.

"Now, put in a few more: and you may have... at best a minor problem. Now, imagine those few training others and then those train others, and then those train even others. On and on... what do you get?" Artyr asked.

"A lot of people with lightsabers would cause a hell of a lot of trouble if they don't act right," Qrow told them. He then thought about it. Well, he did have a point.

"Still, it's better than nothing." Ozpin said.

"I agree with this... half-baked plan." The headmaster said.

"Shouldn't we talk with the others about this?" Glynda asked.

"We don't know who to trust at this point,"

"Except for James," Mom pointed out.

"Except for James," Ozpin said, nodding.

"Leo's a definite 'no'." Qrow said, angrily.

"We're going to have to try to see who's loyal to us and who's not," Ozpin told the other two.

"Art. You're a Sym and family to boot... but still: Salem is _not_ someone you mess around with." Ozpin warned.

"A _lot_ of her people are not something to mess around with." Qrow added.

"Not only that, but I want you to keep out of trouble and to stay safe." Mom said.

"You can't childproof the whole world," Qrow sighed under his breath.

"I'll allow you to train a few fellow students in lightsaber combat, but no more. And they have to be people you can trust." Mom said.

Inside his head, Artyr was grinning and screaming for joy.

"Now, then. What else should we talk about?" Glynda said, thinking.

"About the fact that your kid, with a stupid idea, is trying to raise an army of Jedi to save the world? Even though there is literally no one here who is Force-sensitve, and he's an apprentice." Qrow asked, sarcastically as he counted with his fingers.

"What about that penance mission you want me to do?" Artyr asked.

"Oh, that, well..." Ozpin thought about it.

"I'll tell you about it when I think of it," The headmaster said.

"Artyr, thanks for telling us about your visions. If you have anything else. Please tell us." Ozpin said, thanking him.

"You're welcome,"

"But, all three of us can agree, Artyr." Mom said and then spoke in a serious tone.

"Don't go looking for trouble," She then softened.

"You're all I have right now, Artyr." She told him softly.

"I don't want to lose you." she said. She then looked over to Qrow and Ozpin.

"I was wondering if you two could leave me? I need to discuss a few more things with my son in private." She asked her colleagues. It sounded more like an order.

"Sure," Qrow said.

"Later, kid!" Qrow called as he went out the door.

"Until next time," Ozpin said as well as he walked away. The door closed. Mom then looked at him.

"Artyr," Mom started to say as she folded her hands.

"Did you sleep with that girl?" She asked, seriously. Artyr blinked.

"We're seriously talking about this?" he asked.

"Yes, we're seriously talking about this." She confirmed.

"No," He said, shaking his head.

"Are you lying to me?" she asked, giving him a look. He shook his head.

"No, ma'am."

"So, you didn't sleep with anyone?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Mom!" Artyr at his newly-revealed mother in embarrassment.


	22. Chapter 22: New Arrivals

Chapter 22

 _"Good news is she finally told him,"_ Qrow said on Taiyang's scroll. The father of the Rose-Xiao Long sisters smiled. Finally, no more pretending!

"Thank the gods!" he exclaimed, laughing.

 _"Now, all we have to do is be on the lookout for the other two kids if and when they arrive."_ His brother-in-law added.

"Well, it may take awhile. Not only that, but they could show up anywhere." Taiyang pointed out.

 _"No shit. Not only that the kid says he wants to start a Jedi order in the school." Qrow said._

Taiyang looked at the phone in shock.

"Is he out of his mind?! No one's force-sensitive!" He asked, holding it.

"That's what we told him, but he says that it won't be about using the Force, it's going to be about using lightsabers!" Qrow told them. Taiyang sighed, shaking his head.

"They're not toys," He said.

"Well, Glynda told him that he could train a small group, only people he could trust... could you imagine Petal using a saber?" He asked, seriously.

Taiyang thought about it.

"That would be pretty cool," He admitted, thinking about his son using a lightsaber along with her scythe.

There was loud banging on the door. He turned towards the source.

Outside, the dark night loomed outside, contrasting with the brightly lit inside of the house.

"Who the hell could that be at this time of night?" He thought aloud.

"Gotta' go, someone's at the door." He told his brother-in-law." He said, warily.

"At this time of night?" There was a pause.

"Be careful," He said. There was a dead tone. Taiyang put away his scroll.

"Who is it?" He called as he walked over to the door. Strangely, he heard what sounded like groaning.

"Just open the damn door, Tai! I've got my hands full!" A familiar, yet muffled voice roared. Taiyang opened the door to see a tall, bulky, hooded figure at the door. The man wore a Jedi tunic and leather boots. His hands were covered in black gloves. His hood shadowed his eyes and a cloth covered his mouth.

In his massive arms was... What was that thing?

It was a tall alien, slim, slender, and white like snow or maybe ceramic tile. The alien had long-rail thin arms and long fingers. It sounded... female, maybe? It sounded like it was in pain as it grabbed its stomach. The thing had no hair and wore a white sleeveless shirt and some kind of long loin cloth and shoes. Its eyes looked big, like the size of dinner plates and its 'nose' was connected to its mouth.

"Move aside, Tai." The figure said, knocking Taiyang aside as he stomped into the house. The voice sounded so familiar. At first, Taiyang wanted to yell at him and tell him to get out of the house. But then, he realized who it was.

"Aogust?" He asked in disbelief and shock. He stood there in shock. Aogust Sym, Jedi Knight, missing for sixteen years after leaving Glynda Goodwitch (his wife) alone, and leaving Remnant itself for reasons unknown.

"Where the hell have you been?! Who or what is that?! And why the fuck didn't you tell any of us you had three kids?! Much less give all three of them away, you asshat!" He roared, slamming the door shut.

Aogust set the alien down on the couch.

"I trust my son behaved himself?" Aogust said as he bent over the alien, checking its forehead as it groaned. That's when Taiyang noticed its veins showing through the skin.

"Why, yes, he did." Taiyang nodded, sarcastically as he walked up behind him.

"Aog, who or what is this?" He asked, angrily.

"This is my son's future wife," Aogust said, bluntly. Taiyang blinked and stood there in shock.

"That's your son's girlfriend?! What the hell are you doing bringing her to my house for?!" He yelled.

"Because you're the only one I know that actually takes care of his daughters." Aogust said, turning to him with the hood still on.

"Take off that damn hood so I can see you," Taiyang demanded. Aog looked at him. He didn't even raise his hands to take it down.

"No," He refused. Taiyang shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was being stubborn. He was too old to be having an emo phase.

"What's wrong with her? She needs a hospital." Taiyang said, walking over to the alien and felt her head. She was burning up, real bad. He was about to turn to tell the Jedi to get the icepad, when the half-alien appeared with an icepack wrapped in a towel. He grabbed it and put it on her head.

"I can't allow that. Too many questions would be asked." Aogust told him, flatly. He had a point.

"Well, can you tell me what happened to her?" Taiyang asked, looking at him angrily. Why had he brought his first son's girlfriend here? What the hell was wrong with him?! He wasn't a damn hospital!

"What is she?" He asked, looking at her.

"Her name is Lira Su, niece to the prime minister of Kamino." His old friend answered, crossing his arms. Taiyang then had to assume her race was named 'Kaminoan'.

"Okay," Taiyang said, tilted his head, uncertain.

"After Artyr 'disappeared', she went mad with grief and took a blood sample of my son and injected it into her bloodstream as a perverse way of having something to remind her of him." Aogust explained. Taiyang blinked and looked at the alien girl as she groaned in pain.

 _'She injected her lover's genes into her body. She's... This sounds like a really messy thing happening. It doesn't look like the kid's genes are mixing well with her own.'_ He thought. He shook his head. He then remembered how he felt when Raven had left her with Yang and never came back. Not even so much as visiting her own daughter.

 _'What would you do for someone you lost?'_ He thought to himself.

"She really needs a hospital, Aog. I can't take care of her." He said, honestly.

"Such things have happened before in my family," Aog said, dipping his head.

"Funny how you didn't mention that," The huntsman said with venom.

"You hate me," Aog said, obviously sensing what this was about.

"Aog... you didn't tell us you and Glynda had kids." Taiyang said, angrily. The Aogust he knew wouldn't have done something that cruel and evil!

"What's worse, is that you deliberately abandoned them without your wife's consent! You're worse than Raven!" He accused, pointing at him. Aogust grumbled as his arms fell and his hands balled into fists.

"I had no choice. The family tradition required it." Aogust said, defensively.

"And for the record, Tai: I'm fixing that mistake." He said, pointing at him back. Tai tilted his head.

"Oh, yeah? How?" He asked, squinting his eyes.

"I've arranged for Jacob and Christopher to arrive as well. They'll both be scattered, of course. So, I need you to tell the others to be on the lookout for them in Atlas and Vacuo." Aogust answered. Taiyang looked at him.

"Those are your sons, right?" Taiyang asked.

"Those are my other sons," Aogust affirmed as Lira groaned.

"Do they have girlfriends too?" The teacher asked. Aogust laughed a throaty laugh.

"No," He said, seriously.

"I should tell you: Christopher was raised by Mandalorians. He'll be wearing Mandalorian armor." The Jedi explained.

"Those are your galaxy's barbarians, right?" Tai asked unsure. He barely remembered the Jedi's description of the warrior race. He remembered him talking about the wars that were waged between the Republic, the Jedi's home nation, and the Mandalorians.

"Not barbarians, Tai." Aogust sighed in frustration.

"I told you that they were conquerers, yes. But they have a code of honor." He explained.

"Christopher will be called 'Topher' or 'Toph'."

"And Jacob would be your youngest?" He asked.

"Yes, however, he will be quite wild as he was raised by wookies on Kashyyk." Aogust nodded as he answered Taiyang's question.

"He will be named 'Kobacca'." He added.

Taiyang blinked.

"What's a 'wookie'?" He asked.

"They're forest aliens. They're furry, loud, and huge. They can rip out a man's arms out of his sockets." Taiyang's jaw dropped at the hybrid's explanation.

"Jacob's smaller than them, though. He'll most likely be wearing a loincloth and have long messy hair that's unkempt. He won't speak English, but he'll understand it. He grew up speaking Shrywook." The father of the three Sym children said.

"And that sounds like?"

"It sounds like grunts, snarls, roars, and similar animal noises." The Jedi explained.

Taiyang shook his head.

"What possessed you to give your kids away to such strange people."

"Like I said 'family tradition'," Aogust said, stoically.

"Can't you tell them? Don't you have your scroll?" Taiyang asked. Aogust laughed again.

"I lost that scroll a hundred years ago, fighting against the-" he stopped as soon as he saw Taiyang's confused expression.

"Never mind, I'll explain later, over a couple of beers with the old gang." Aogust said, correcting himself.

 _'A hundred years ago?! How old is he now? He should be old and frail, not strong, and massive!'_ Taiyang thought. Then, he corrected himself.

 _'He's an alien-human hybrid from another planet. Of course, he'd live longer than any of us.'_ The huntsman thought. But it still bothered him.

 _'A hundred years? How much has time passed for him?'_ Taiyang thought.

"I must be off, I have other matters to attend to." Aogust said, going towards the door.

"No," Taiyang said, grabbing his arm.

"I don't know where you're going," The huntsman admitted.

"But you're going to stay the night and then go to Beacon Academy and talk with your son about why you did what you did, you dead-beat." He said the last phrase with venom. Aogust didn't react, only sighed.

"You're going to tell him why you abandoned him and his brothers and apologize to your wife." Taiyang ordered.

"I'm going to see my ex-wife... eventually. But, right now. I have to go." Aogust told him.

"You son of a bitch!" Taiyang roared.

"Do you have any idea what happened to your son while you've been gone? Did you know he'd been fighting a war for three years and saw shit no kid should ever see in his life?!" Taiyang yelled at him.

Aogust stood there, looking at him.

"Of course, I knew." Aogust told him.

"I couldn't do anything because I was fighting my own war, Tai." He retorted. Tai shook his head in disbelief. This motherfucker...

"People were depending on me like people were depending on him." He said, angrily. He pulled his hand away from his friend.

"I'm leaving. I'll see everyone when I can. But right now,"

Aogust leaned forward, so much as that Tai could see Aogust's eyes. They were... wrong... really wrong, he felt. They had no pupils. What had happened to him.

 **"I should go,"** He said in that deep tone he only used when he was in his other form. Part of the man wanted to be scared as he had seen his friend in that form, the other part of him wanted to punch the dick in the face. Aogust turned and left.

"I'll tell Glynda and Art you said 'hi'. Taiyang said as the Jedi walked out. He then looked down at the alien who was groaning in pain. Then, she started clutching her head and screamed as if she was being murdered. Taiyang covered his ears.

He then brought out his scroll and dialed a number.

XXX

North of Vale was Atlas, the home of one of the mightiest militaries on the planet as well as one of the best schools on the planet. The city was lit up against the night sky as a sort of beacon of hope. Airships patrolled the sky as passenger ships left the harbor.

In a darkened alley, a hole ripped open in mid-air. The bottom was well-lit but the top wasn't visible. A loud yell was heard and an armored figure came down, slowing his descent with his jump pack. He landed on his two feet as the portal above him closed. He looked around, his T-shaped visor being lit by the street lamps outside. He then walked outside. He looked both ways outside of the alley and seeing no one, came out into the street.

His armor was bluish-gray and his helmet had a T-shaped visor and an antenna with a scanner on top of that. His twin blaster pistols were holstered and his jetpack had a missile on the top of it. The armored figure, obviously a Mandalorian, looked around.

"Just where the kriff am I?" He asked aloud. He looked around for something to jump onto and get his view of the surroundings. He then launched himself into the air at a nearby building that was about ten stories high. He barely reached it and landed with a 'huff'. He went to the side over looking the street and saw an unfamiliar city-scape before him.

"This doesn't look like home," He said to himself.

XXX

Far away, in the kingdom of Vacuo, another portal opened in an alley as well. A loud bestial scream was heard as a boy fell down. He landed with an 'ug' on his butt, a large sword clattering next to him. The boy looked up as the portal closed. He made a beastial groan. He sounded like an animal as he was raised by a particular race of people that sounded like animals, but were more noble than anyone else realized. He wore a loin cloth that stretched down to the ground. His body, in the streetlight from outside, was dirty and looked to be about the size of a pre-teenager. He was slim, but not that muscular. His fingernails were long like claws and still had dirt under them. His blonde hair was long and messy His green eyes looked around, lost and afraid.

He grabbed the blade and inspected it.

The blade was old and thick, like a broadsword. The blade had scratches on it along with a few chips as it was old. He lifted it up and was satisfied to see that the strap that went with it was still there. He slung the sword over his back, the blade almost touching the ground. He looked around and made another groan. He then looked out onto the street and around at his unfamilliar sounds.

He made a confused and fearful groan as he looked around, wondering what to do. He stayed in that alley until morning, too scared to do anything as he wanted to stay alive.

XXX

That night, Artyr awoke as he felt several several disturbances in the Force, as if something had just been born into the world. He felt fear and confusion somewhere far off as well as pain from someplace near the Academy... a massive amount of pain, suffering and despair.

He looked outside. There was a new moon out tonight. The stars illuminated the sky as beacons against the darkness. Artyr frowned.

The last presence he felt was oddly familiar and felt like... it was changing. He closed his eyes as he got out of bed and knelt on the floor meditating. He tried to concentrate real hard as he reached out towards the presence of the pain.

Immediately he felt the pain himself as soon as he tried to locate the source and screamed as if his whole body was in pain. That was when the others awoke.

"Art!" Rebecca shouted, getting out of bed. Yi hopped out of bed as quick as he could.

"Oh fuck!" He said, coming to his side as Artyr screamed in pain.

"Monty Oum, what happened to you?" Tyler asked, getting out and looking at him.

"One of you get my grandmother!" Rebecca roared at the boys. Yi and Tyler looked at eachother.

"Now, dammit!" She roared, angrily. Both boys ran out of the room in their jammies. Rebecca heard people groggily waking up to see what was going on. She was worried.

Artyr screamed and groaned in pain as he curled up into a ball. Just then, Ruby peered in, along with others.

"Oh my gods, Artyr!" Ruby screamed. Rebecca looked up.

"Get out of here! There's nothing you all can do!" She roared at everyone standing outside, looking in. Arlina came in a robe.

"What happened?" She asked, worried. She waved her hand and the door slammed shut. She flicked her finger and the door was locked.

"What happened?" The older woman asked again.

Rebecca sighed and shook her head, confused.

"I-I don't know! He just started screaming." She answered. Arlina then placed her hand over Artyr's head. She closed her eyes in concentration.

"What are you doing?" Rebecca asked. Her grandmother didn't answer and then opened her eyes.

She then took out a box of pain-killers.

"Get his mouth open," She ordered. The teenager nodded and then held Artyr's head and forced it open.

"Sorry, Art." She said, shamefully. Arlina tossed two pills in there. Rebecca closed it.

"Swallow, Jedi! Swallow!" The grandmother shouted at him angrily. Artyr swallowed it despite the pain and then started to calm down panting.

"By the Force," he groaned as he sat up in pain. He clutched his pain.

"The kriff did you do, Jedi?" Arlina asked angrily.

"Wasn't my fault, Sith." Artyr retorted back. Rebecca then looked at her grandmother.

"'Sith'?" She asked, slowly. Both the Jedi and her grandmother looked at her.

"Honey, pretend you didn't hear that." Arlina ordered, softly and sweetly as she nodded.

"Better yet, can you please get out of here so we can talk?" Artyr asked. Rebecca nodded, a bit weirded out. She then walked out the door, wondering why her team leader called her grandmother a 'Sith'... was that some kind of insult?

Artyr groaned and looked at the Sith.

"You felt it, too... didn't you?" Artyr asked the Sith. Arlina nodded.

"That feeling that three people just showed up out of nowhere and one of them is in excrutiating pain? Yep." She admitted. She then stood up, raising a finger and then opened the door after unlocking it. She poked her head outside.

"If any of you fuckers don't want feet up your asses: don't eavesdrop! We're having a private conversation!" She roared and then shut the door and locked it.

"Sorry about that," She apologized. She then looked down at him as she sat on Rebecca's bed.

"Looks like we're not going to be the only ones from back home after all," The Sith sighed.

"Do you know if they were Jedi?" She asked, worried.

"No, they're not Jedi. Hell, I don't even know if I can sense that someone's a Jedi, much less a Sith." Artyr answered.

"One of those newbies," Arlina said, using a term that kids on Remnant said.

"must've passed their pain onto you as soon as you tried to make a connection." She figured.

"You two must be extraordinarily connected for that to happen," She added.

"Well, it felt familiar... really familiar." Artyr explained, wanting to deflect the question. He had never felt so much pain from someone he cared about in his life.

"Like how familiar?" The Sith doctor crossed her arms. She looked at him in expectation.

"As in I knew the person from back home..." He started to say and then sighed.

"I think it's possible that it's...' Artyr started to say again. She dipped her head.

"Well, go on." She said, gesturing for him to continue.

"Back home, I broke a rule: no personal attachments." The Sith started grinning in triumph as he spoke.

"Yes, Sith Lady: I have a girlfriend from back home." He confessed, flatly.

"But," He raised a finger.

"I didn't sleep with her!" He pointed out. The Sith laughed.

"Oh, this is _so_ precious! The Jedi has a girlfriend!" She said, wiping tears out of her eye.

"This isn't funny, old woman! She's in a shit ton of pain!" Artyr barked at her angrily. She stopped laughing immediately.

"How much?" She asked, dipping her head again.

"It's like her body's turning into something it's not supposed to be," He told her.

"Is it possible you could tell me where she is? Did you find out her location as you tried to connect with her through the Force?" She asked, leaning forward.

"She's close, somewhere here in Vale, I think." He said. She sighed and shook her head.

"By the way, I know whose son you are," She stated flatly as she looked at him. Artyr leaned back in shock.

"I didn't know the head disciplinarian had a son," She said.

"No wonder she was acting bitchy since before I got here," She commented, crossing her arms.

"How did you find out?" He asked.

"The test results came back to my office and I looked at them before resealing the envelope." She answered, matter-of-fact. He shook his head.

"You are so devious," He told her flatly.

"So I was told," She retorted.

"It also turns out that I have brothers," He said. She tilted her head.

"Brothers?" She repeated.

"Two of them, but they're all back home." He said, jerking his thumb. She swore.

"Your family's kriffed up, kid. Parents don't just give away their kids."

"Except my Dad did and my Mom never consented to it," Artyr told her angrily. Arlina was silent as she looked at him. He thought he saw pity or even sympathy in her eyes.

"I'm getting out of here," She said as she stood up and adjusted her robe.

"Have you looked at the holocron, yet?" She asked.

"No, I've been hesitant about it." He admitted as he also stood up. She sighed angrily.

"I'm telling you: watch it from beginning to end." Her voice became less harsh than usual.

"You'll see that not all Sith are bad people, kid." She told him before walking out. She closed the door and then started yelling.

"Alright, which one of you fuckers was listening in?!" She roared. Just then, he heard Mom's voice from outside. He then heard Mom's voice from outside.

"Dr. Dorin, get back to your quarters! You can't hurt the kids!" She roared angrily in a tired voice.

"Tell these fucktards not to eavesdrop! It ain't nice!" Dorin yelled as she walked away. Mom opened the door quickly. She too was in a nightgown covered in a robe. Her hair wasn't in a bun and flowed down to the top of her back. She wore no make-up and had no glasses on.

"Honey, are you okay?" She asked, closing the door. She hurried over to him. He told her what happened and she listened. She looked outside.

"How many did you detect that just appeared?" She asked, looking back at her firstborn.

"Three," He answered. She blinked.

"I only gave birth to you three boys," She stated, confused.

"The last one..." He started to say.

"The last one's Lira, my girl from back home." He said, jerking his thumb. She blinked.

"Why would your girlfriend all of a sudden be here? Do you know if she's close?" She asked.

"Somewhere in Vale," He answered. Her eyes widened.

"What about the others?"

"One's way up North and that person's confused."

"The other one is way in the South," he answered.

"I felt his fear and confusion. He's young... real young," He answered. Mom thought and then realized.

"Jacob," She whispered. He tilted his head.

"Mom?"

'The one down south must be Jacob. The one up north must be Christopher." She said, realizing it. He frowned. How could she know? She wasn't Force-sensitive! She looked at him.

"We're telling your uncle Oz," She announced.

Then, her scroll started ringing. She produced it and opened it.

"It's Ruby and Yang's Dad," She announced, seeing the picture. She pressed it. Just then the most god-awful screaming was heard. Both mother and son shirked at the sound of it.

"Tai! Are you alirght?!" She asked, worried.

He heard what sounded like heavy breathing and then a door closing. THe screaming faded to almost above barely heard.

"You're not going to believe this, Glynda." Mr. Xiao Long started to say. What he said next shocked both of them to the core.


	23. Chapter 23: Changes

Chapter 23

Telling his friends and classmates that something needed his attention, him, Mom, Professor Ozpin, and Dr. Dorin had gone straight to the Xiao Long house. Artyr couldn't believe what Taiyang had said on the scroll. Not only that, but why in the hell, had his long-lost, five-hundred year old father taken Lira to Ruby and Yang's house?! Just why?! He had no idea how the two sisters would react to the knowledge that his father had taken an alien to their house. They also wouldn't believe that it was the same girlfriend that he told them about earlier that day... or was it yesterday.

The Jedi Padawan got out of the car as fast as he could, dressed in a gray T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. It turned out that Mom had been picking clothes for him and then putting them in the closet for him the past several weeks before she had told him.

Qrow opened the door for them. Artyr blinked.

"Don't you have a house to live in, Uncle Qrow?" Artyr asked. The former bandit looked down at him.

"Did you just-" He started to say in disbelief when a heart-wrenching female scream was heard and Qrow shrunk at the sound of the god-awful noise as did Artyr.

"Art, you never said your girl had lungs like a banshee!" Qrow told him as he let him and the others in. Taiyang was doing his best to try to calm her down. A vast array of pain killers was around the floor. But, what drew Artyr's eyes was a familiar, but also heart-wrenching sight.

"Lira," He breathed.

She was writing in excruciating agony. Her veins were popping out as she writhed and...

"Oh my God," He whispered as Arina went past him to check up on her. He stood there, frozen in shock. Mom and Uncle Ozpin stood beside him, horrified.

Her neck wasn't as tall as it should be... that was impossible! All Kaminoans had long necks! They don't get shorter! Not only that, but her head was... her head looked like it was changing slowly, the jaw going forward like a human's with the slits between her nostrils and her mouth now closed over, not even a faint outline of it was seen. Her nose was becoming more human. Her eyes looked the same though... but they were closed. Her fingers also looked the same, but her neck was definitely becoming shorter.

"What in the gods' name happened to her?" Ozpin whispered concerned. Artyr looked at him. He had never seen such concern and worry on his face. Arina asked Taiyang what happened as she inspected her.

"I'll deal with her, you all just wait outside and talk!" Arina barked at them, her voice attempting to overcome the screaming. Taiyang nodded and they all went outside. Artyr had to be forced out as he watched his lover in pain.

The huntsmen then took them to just the border of the forest. He then spoke about what happened earlier. He told them about what Aogust had said about what Lira had done to herself. Artyr's face paled in horror at what had been said.

"Art, it wasn't your fault." Taiyang told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Tears started to fall as the padawan clutched his head in horror and shock. He shook his father's friend's arm off. He shook his head as he whispered 'no, no, no'.

"Calm down, Artyr." Ozpin said as everyone else tried to calm him down.

"I never should've left her!" He exclaimed, thinking out loud.

"She told me I should've left the order and ran away with her!" He told them.

"Artyr, it looks like she missed you so much after you went missing in your universe, that she stole a vial of your blood and wanted something to remind her of you." Qrow said. He then sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Though, when you put it that way, it kind of sounds like she wanted a kid." Artyr looked at the ex-bandit with a look of pure horror.

"SHE'S PREGNANT?!" He roared, confused. Glynda's jaw dropped at what he said and started her infamous glare of death.

"No, no no!" Taiyang and Qrow said, quickly, waving their hands in defense.

"That bit was me thinking dirty," Qrow explained. Artyr calmed down a bit and panted.

"But, seriously: it looks like she missed you a lot." Taiyang commented.

"You're a lucky man, kid." Qrow said, complimenting him. He put a hand on his shoulder.

"Take it from me, it sounds like you two have a very good relationship. A lot better than Tai had with-" He paused and looked at Tai who sighed irritated.

"Y'know, his first wife." he said. Taiyang then told the group what Aogust had said.

Mom started crying as she put her hands to her mouth.

"He... He actually said that?" She asked, hoping it was true.

Taiyang nodded. The three men smiled. She started crying and the men started hugging her in a group hug. They then pulled back.

Artyr then thought about it.

"I sensed their arrival, I think." Artyr announced. They looked at him.

"What?" Mom asked in shock.

"You're serious?" Taiyang asked for clarification. Artyr nodded.

"Wow, that was quick." The middle-aged blonde said, rubbing the back of his head as he was impressed.

"We've got to tell James and Shade about this," Qrow told Ozpin.

"We don't know if we can trust Shade, actually." Ozpin reminded him.

"Why the hell not?!" Taiyang asked. The four looked at eachother with sad looks. Artyr then explained all of his visions. Taiyang was horrified.

"OH MY GODS IN HEAVEN!" He roared to the sky as he clutched his head.

"We gotta get the girls out of there!" He yelled at Ozpin.

"We've gotta tell someone about this," He barked as well

"I hate to break it to you, Tai: We're it." Qrow told him.

"We have one advantage: Artyr's visions." Qrow pointed out.

"What good is that going to do?" Taiyang asked.

"A lot of people are going to die, plus Lionheart's a fucking traitor to us all, and Beacon's going to fall, plus the Fall Maiden is going to die and have her power get drained by a fucking fire witch!" Taiyang spat out the reasons. Artyr's face fell as he thought about it.

"Oz... you said that the Sym family would help us out: Aogust is absolutely no fucking help at all right now. And Artyr-" He scoffed. He then looked at the padawan.

"Every Jedi, according to Ozpin, has been a full-fledged knight. Art: you're the only guy that came here as a Padawan." Taiyang pointed out.

"Sir, if I may say, with no disrespect as well:" Artyr said as well.

"No shit," He spat.

"So: what the hell are we going to do?" Taiyang asked. The group stood in silence.

"Well, the attack comes in the Vytal Festival, I would think." Ozpin said, scratching his chin. He looked at Artyr for confirmation.

"Yeah," Artyr said, nodding.

"Well, that shouldn't come for about..." He thought.

"Six months or more." He added.

"I remember there being some kind of floating island in the sky," Artyr said, thinking. Everyone looked at him.

"What?" He asked, looking around.

"That's the Vytal Tournament Arena," Qrow stated flatly.

"Looks like we may not have that much time. Wish we had more than a year." He commented.

"What else did you see, Artyr?" Mom asked.

"Well, I saw Grimm and droids killing people." Artyr said.

"Droids?" Qrow and Ozpin asked. Artyr described them.

"Atlesian Paladins," The adults breathed as one and shook their heads. Artyr blinked.

"What are those?"

"Those are part of the Atlesian military. While a chunk of their military is human and faunus, part of their forces are AIs." Taiyang answered.

"AI... what does that mean?" Artyr asked.

Mom gave him a 'seriously?' look. Qrow pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Do they seriously not know what that is in the Republic?" He asked under his breath.

"It means 'Artificial Intelligence', son." Mom answered.

"I seriously doubt James is going to order a massacre of civilians and align himself with Salem... doesn't even fit his style." Qrow said, thinking.

"Yeah, you're right, Uncle Qrow." Artyr said in agreement with him. That was when they realized that the screaming had stopped as they spoke.

"Thank the gods," Taiyang breathed in relief. Artyr looked at the house. Arina opened the front door.

"Hey, Jedi! Your girl's asking for your sorry ass!" She roared leaning out the door. Taiyang looked at the Sith in shock at her language.

"Art... how old is Lira?" He asked slowly without looking.

"We were both thirteen when we started our relationship... why?" Artyr asked. Qrow looked at him in shock and his arms simply hung. Mom closed her eyes and shook her head whispering 'Oh my Gods in Heaven', Taiyang slowly turned and looked at him.

"Thirteen? You both were thirteen when you started kissing eachother?" Taiyang asked, crossing his arms in disbelief. Artyr slowly nodded, sheepishly.

Qrow walked up to Art, put a hand on his friend's son's shoulder and squeezed it tightly.

"Artyr..." He started to say, smiling as he chuckled. He then looked up at him with a furious anger in his eyes.

"THAT IS TOO DAMNED YOUNG TO START DATING!" He roared in the boy's face.

"Well, we both really love eachother." Artyr said, honestly. Ozpin shook his head.

"Nephew, I'll admit, I had crushes when I was a kid... but I didn't start dating until I was a lot older. And even then, after awhile I gave up on romance as I"m so old I could literally be anyone's ancestor." The immortal wizard told the boy. Artyr shrunk as everyone laid it into him.

"And you were telling the truth when you said you never so much as had oral sex?" Mom asked, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"Monty Oum, Glynda! I didn't need that image!" Taiyang cried out. He and Qrow blinked.

"Oh gods! Getitoutgetitoutgetitout!" They both yelled, hitting their heads.

"Jedi! She's really asking for you right now!" Arina roared.

"Alright, Doc! I'm on my way!" Artyr bellowed at her and then started walking towards the house.

"No R rated shit in my house, kid! I'm warning you now!" Taiyang called out.

"For kriff's sake..." Artyr muttered as he stomped over to the house. He sighed as he tried to figure out how to explain to Lira everything about what happened... and of course, ask her what in the flying kriff was she thinking, injecting his blood into herself.

He sighed before walking into the house. He looked at Arina as she stood at the threshold.

"How is she now?" Artyr asked her quietly. The light from the inside of the house illuminated her face.

"I gave her an advanced painkiller from back home. I've got plenty of those but I think she's still evolving... keyword 'think'." Arina explained, giving the Jedi the prognosis. That was when he heard a voice he hadn't heard in a month, and quite frankly, never thought he'd hear again.

"A-Artyr?" He heard the most beautiful voice ask with obvious sadness. It was Kaminoan in accent, but it was also starting to sound... human as well. Artyr walked inside. He looked at the couch.

He walked into the living room and looked at Lira, now sitting on the couch. He froze in shock. Her eyes had once been blue and misty in a black backround... now they were bluish-green and were definitely human. Her neck had obviously shortened, thanks to the injection. She was still skinny, but her face, her head, her whole body was a blend of Kaminoan and human combined.

She was still beautiful, of course. He perished the thought. No, that was shallow... very, very shallow. She had always been beautiful. She stood up, her tunic and her long loincloth as gray as the pregnant rainclouds over her homeworld before the thunderstorm. Her skin was fair-creamed. He noticed hair was starting to grow on her scalp. She was still long-legged and armed, but her neck had shortened a bit.

"Lira," He breathed as he shook his head in shock and awe.

Lira looked at him with a mouth that opened and then closed. Her nostrils were no longer connected to her mouth and the gaps had been filled. Her nose, while still retaining Kaminoan structure, was a bit more pronounced like a human. Her skull had transformed into a partial Kaminoan-human shape.

Tears ran down her eyes as she looked at the one she had thought-dead. Her hands, now much shorter, went up to her mouth.

"A-Artyr?" She whispered as her arms fell. She sniffled.

"I-Is it really you?" She asked, her voice breaking. Artyr looked at her and then nodded.

"It's me, love." He said, honestly. He walked over to her and sat next to her. They embraced like husband and wife. She cried as her head was over his.

"I thought you were dead!" She sobbed. He rubbed her back, smelling the scent of rain. He then kissed her neck. They stayed like that for awhile. Then, they pulled back.

"What happened to you?" She asked him.

"Lira... why?" He asked her instead. She looked away in guilt. He cupped her face as gently as possible.

"My heart, I didn't mean to make you cry." He told her honestly.

"I wanted something to remind me of you," She confessed, sniffling. She wiped her nose with her hand. Artyr looked at his lover and blinked.

"Lira... we gave eachother hundreds of letters and drawings, even a drawing of both of us together." He told her.

"I felt that it wansn't enough." She told him honestly. Artyr put his hands in his head.

"The option of producing a child occurred to me," She confessed. He looked up at her in shock and horro.

"Lira... that would get you in a ton of trouble with everyone!" He told her.

"I didn't do it, obviously." she reminded him with anger. Artyr sighed and shook his head.

She sighed as well.

"Art... I know I did wrong," She started to say with tears.

"You have to understand: I didn't know you were still alive! You've been gone for three weeks for all of us!"

"Almost a month?!" He asked in disbelief.

"What'-" He then froze. He silently swore as he realized what he should've asked her.

"What?" She asked, worried.

"The mission!" He blurted, shaking his head as he remembered what had happened.

"Lira, did Master Almira make it out along with everyone else? Did they leave before Dooku arrived?" He asked. She tilted his head.

"Dooku?" She croaked as her face paled.

"They didn't tell you? Our mission was to investigate and clear out a Separatist research base on an uncharted planet named 'Athuron'." He told her.

"They told me that bit," She affirmed.

"But, they didn't tell me that Dooku was going to be there!" She said, horrified.

"What happened that day?" She asked, looking at him.

"How did you get here?" She asked. Then, the Kaminoan asked.

"Hell, where is 'here'? What is this place? And how are-" She paused and then shook her head.

"No... there's not going back now." She whispered as she realized the consquences of her actions.

"You have a tinge of green eyes," Her lover said, obviously.

"I go back to Kamino, I'm dead. And what good would that be?" She asked, shaking her head. Artyr wrapped his arm around her.

"We still have eachother, I hope?" He asked, looking at her. She looked at him, a tear falling again.

"Always," She said, sofly. They made a chaste kiss.

'Please, tell me what happened that day." She pleaded. Artyr told her the rest of the mission. How he had visions upon landing on the planet's surface, how they infiltrated the base and what he saw on the security monitor in the tower. She listened without comment.

He talked about how they cleared the two rooms in the main level of the place as their team had split into two groups. A Jedi per each team. Then, he talked about the lower level. How he had ordered Samson and Alyx to go back upstairs to check on Master Almira and to leave if anything went wrong.

"You were expecting to die!" She whispered, horrified.

"I didn't know if I was going to live as I had this feeling that I would never see anyone that day ever again." The padawan explained.

"What happened then?" She asked, pressing for details.

He told her about the force ghosts that appeared to him after describing the chamber he found. He then recalled with regret as he told her about how they told him to touch the crystal that wouldn't let go of him and then transported him down a hole through space and time, until he arrived in the alleyway near the From Dust Til Dawn Shop. He then talked about what happened afterwards.

"Those bandits should've known better than to mess with you," She said, praising her lover.

She then shook her head as he described how Ruby had asked him for an autograph.

"And it seems that you have a fan club now." She teased. He smiled at her, shaking his head. He knew she was teasing. They both knew that they belonged to each other. He loved her too damn much to cheat on her.

"Hey, c'mon." He said, blushing as he shrugged. She kissed him.

"But, I'm worried about what you saw in that... what is it called 'bullhead'?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yeah, that yellow-eyed person. I thought it was a Sith, but it turns out that a lot of people here have yellow eyes on this planet."

She shook her head.

"Unbelievable. So this world... 'Remnant'... is where you ended up!" She said, realizing it. She then looked at him.

"What happened afterwards?" She asked him. He then talked about how he had been interrogated, the deal he made with Ozpin and what Ozpin had told him.

She blinked and looked at him in shock.

"She sounds like one of the old Sith Ladies!" She exclaimed, shaking her head at the mention of 'Salem'.

"Yeah, well. I don't think this 'Salem' is actually a Sith. She's got magical abilities... not that much like the Force, I think." He told her. He then explained as best as he could and as much as he knew about how Remnant worked. He talked about the dust crystals, the four kingdoms, the Grimm, the huntsmen academies, and everything else.

She shook her head in disbelief.

"This is absolutely insane! Why hasn't the Republic heard about any of this?! These Grimm sound like they were made by the Sith or-or wrose!" She exclaimed. He sighed as he then explained about what Ozpin told him and what he found out later.

"Why the kriff would he lie to you?!" She asked, angry.

"Is that bastard here?!" She asked, looking around. He tried to calm her down.

"Lira... he's also my... for lack of a better term- Ancestral uncle." He told her, sheepishly. She looked at him.

"What?" She croaked. He then told her what Ozpin, Qrow, and Mom had told him.

"So that's who your mother was! No wonder we couldn't find your birth race or homeworld!" She said, shaking her head. Artyr paused.

"Wait... did you know I was Aogust Sym's son?" He asked, wanting answers. She looked at him with a guilty look and sighed, turing her head away.

"I'm sorry, my love. When I found out about the DNA test results we did on you, Masters Shaak Ti and Yoda had made me promise not to tell you as they knew were close, but not how close." She confessed as she looked back at him.

"Yoda?" Artyr said simply in shock. His mouth opened in shock and he turned away from her. His eyes showed confusion and shock.

'He knew... He knew this whole time... and he didn't even tell me!' He thought. A mixture of emotions came: rage, betrayal, confusion, and sadness. All of them washed over him. He put his hands in his head.

"My love?" Lira asked as he didn't speak. He stood up, walked away from the couch and looked up at the ceiling.

"Did Master Almira know? The rest of the Council?" He asked without looking at her. Tears started falling down his cheeks.

'He knew who my father was. Did he know about Mom? Why? Why didn't he tell me who my Dad was?! Why did he lie to me?! Did he know that Mom didn't want to give me up?!' He started panting and he felt himself turn. He tried to calm himself as he felt betrayal.

"I-I don't know," Lira said, honestly.

Yoda, the man who had been his father's master, the kind, sweet, funny, and wise Jedi Master that was nine hundred years old and had raised him to become a Jedi... had lied to him about knowing his parents, the lying prick!

He went over to the wall next to the Xiao Longs' holoscreen and punched as hard as he could, making a big hole in the wall along with taking a bit of the corner.

 **"That lying, green sack of shit!"** He roared in anger. He paced the room, looking away from Lira as he had transformed into his alternate form. He didn't want her to see his eyes. He could feel the fear from her and from outside.

 **"I told him about my visions and nightmares as a child! He trained me to be a Jedi! I trusted that old bastard!"** He roared as he bashed the stand on which the holoscreen had stood on with his massive fist. He heard Lira gasp.

He then started crying in his alien form as he fell to his knees. He was starting to believe that what he had been told was a lie. The Jedi weren't all good. The Sith weren't all bad. And even the Jedi could lie to their own followers. He sobbed as he heard footsteps come from behind him. He felt the soft touch of a woman come to his back. He then felt Lira's familiar skin touch his head. He moved his big head towards her alongside her hand as it moved. She looked up at him. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I am so, so sorry, my love." She whispered. He sniffled. The two lovers put their heads together as he sobbed.

XXXX

The four adults had listened to the entire conversation as they had hidden themselves under the window sill.

"Shit," Arina whispered, shaking her head. Qrow sighed.

"So, the Jedi Council lied to his face. I don't know what's worse: Us lying about who he was... or the Council doing it on their side of reality." Qrow commented.

"I never knew his old master could do such a thing," Taiyang also commented.

"Aogust made it sound like the old fart could do no wrong," He added.

"Monty Oum," Glynda Goodwitch whispered. She rubbed her face. To hear such anger and betrayal in her son's voice as he found out the truth of what his Order had known... it broke her heart.

"Y'know.. it reminds me of what we're not telling the kids back at the Academy... what we're really fighting against." Qrow said to them. They all looked at him.

"Eventually, we're going to have to tell Ruby about her lineage... and Yang." He said, simply. Taiyang sighed.

"We have around six months until the attack on Beacon," Taiyang told them all. Arina looked at him in shock.

"We'll tell you about it later," Taiyang told her. She blinked.

"The school will be attacked in six months," The old Sith echoed.

"By whom?" She asked, scared for her family's lives.

"Why, Salem of course." Qrow said, sarcastically. The Sith's eyes widened.

"That... Sith-pretending... bitch," She spat as her hands balled into fists.


	24. Chapter 24: Lords and Ladies of the Sith

Chapter 24

 **(A/N: I would like to ask how this chapter looks to anyone. Please pm or post review. Thanks! Hope you enjoy it! )**

Roman Torchwick was escorted out of Vale Penitentiary. Like last time, Emerald, the master thief, and her boy toy Mercury waited for him outside.

"Have fun in the joint?" Mercury asked with a grin. Roman personally wanted to say 'Fuck you' but bit back his tongue. These were Cinder's henchmen, not his. If it were up to him, he'd take them behind the warehouse where they were based at and- he wanted to relish the thought in public, but didn't.

"I'm fine. Nothing I couldn't handle." he told the two weirdos. They then started walking. They preferred not to use a cab as they didn't want anyone getting ideas. He also wanted to straight up tear them a ne

"What took you both so long?" He hissed in Emerald's ear.

"We had to do a lot of... work," Emerald said, shrugging.

"Oh, is _that_ what you call it?" The ex-huntsman turned robber said, angrily. Emerald then realized what he had actually meant.

"You pervert," She said, shaking her head.

'I meant 'pickpocketing'," She hissed back at him.

"Ah," Roman said, realizing his mistake.

"My bad," he told them.

"Anyway, Cinder told us that we should lie low... for awhile at least. She went away, won't be back for awhile." Emerald told him.

"You're not telling me everything," Roman told her flatly.

'We'll talk back home," Emerald said, deflecting the question.

After they arrived, Neo greeted him happily.

"Hey, how's it going?" He asked, smiling at her as he waved. They went over to the map of Vale where they planned heists.

"So, what's been happening while I was away?" Torchwick asked as he sat down in his rolling chair, happy to be home.

"Remember that kid that got you put in prison? The one who crushed your cane with his mind and pretty much shot down Cinder's bullhead?" Emerald asked him.

"How could I forget?" Torchwick recalled, angrily.

"Well, Cinder says that the kid that you fought is something all four of us can't handle right now." Emerald said.

"Which is a bummer because I really look forward to kicking his ass," Mercury said, nonchalantly.

"What do you know about him?" Torchwick asked, gesturing.

"He's enrolled in Beacon Academy right now. But, I would very strongly advise not going to kill him... at least, not right now." Emerald told him.

"Well, that's great!" He said sarcastically.

"You wouldn't happen to know the name of this kid, wouldn't you?" He asked, angrily.

"Artyr Sym," Mercury stated.

"Sym," Roman said without emtion. He sighed and put his hand over his face as he leaned back.

"You know the name?"

"Only be reputation," Torchwick said. He shook his head.

"No wonder the kid and his swords looked familiar," Torchwick said.

"You've seen that kind of fighting before," Mercury said.

"Once or twice," Torchwick said, gesturing. He sighed.

"Look, I joined up with you because I'm a betting man. And I don't take bets I know I can't win... but this is coming real close to me not winning," Torchwick said with worry.

"If you leave-" Mercury started to threaten, leaving the consequence unfinished, but left to his imagination.

"I know, I know." Torchwick said, nodding. Neo looked at her partner with worry. He was usually a lot more confident than this.

"So, how have things been while I was off in the clink?" Torchwick said.

"We've decided to stop getting the dust we need as we don't want to attract a lot more attention than we want.." Emerald answered. Torchwick frowned.

"I told Cinder what the name of that kid was and she told me we were better off not doing anything until we come back." She said.

"Which really sets us back a while," Emerald said, sighing as she shook her head.

"Y'know, you all could tell me the plan so I can do what I can. I just gotta' know." Torchwick said.

"That's for Cinder to tell, not us." Mercury said. Torchwick sighed and shook his head.

"If it were up to me, I'd take you both out back and beat your asses blue for compatmentalizing. You can't just just leave a partner hanging!" Torchwick said, angrily as he pointed outside.

"If Cinder were here, she'd beat _your_ ass blue." Emerald retorted. Torchwick was about to speak and then he realized... she was right.

"Fine, tell me at the proper time. So, in the meantime, what can we do?" he asked.

"We can't just sit on our asses while she's gone," The robber told them.

"Let's call Cinder and ask her about what we should do," Emerald said, brining out her scroll.

"What about going off-the-books?" Torchwick asked.

"So to speak?" he asked. The thief looked at him.

"That's a bad idea, Torch. She could kill us all if we did it. She clearly said: no more robberies until she gets back." Emerald told her.

"What the hell is she doing out there?" Torchwick asked them.

"She said something about 'training'," Mercury blurted. Emerald looked at her partner in anger.

"You didn't need to tell him that!" The thief shouted.

"Training for what?" Torchwick asked, confused.

XXXX

The chamber below the castle was more of a practice room. It was large, expansive and lit by floating candles. There was no light from outside. Darkness loomed in the outer part of the chamber.

Cinder blocked both of her mistress's blows with her own weapons. All four of their blades glowed a blood red and made a certain sound like crackling electricity as they clashed against eachother. She then pulled back, turned a bit slower than she should for fear of harming the black clad woman.

"I told you, you can't hurt me." her mistress reminded her again as she blocked both blows as well. They exchanged a flury of blows as they fought. That was when her mistress started going faster than she could follow.

Cinder then launched herself into the air and made a gesture. Immediately, red fiery hotspots appeared beneath her mistress. The spots then turned into pillars of heat that would've burned her mistress alive if she had been in the way. The woman jumped back and lifted a saber, making a throwing down gesture. Cinder crashed to the ground and landed on her feet as her master then suddenly appeared before her as she looked up. The blades stopped right over her head as she was about to bring her own sabers up.

"A bold move, young Cinder." Her master said as the young girl felt the heat of the blades over her head. The blades deactivated and Cinder stood up.

"I-" She started to say then her mistress raised a hand.

"I have told you before, you are not that powerful enough to pose a challenge to me." She told her.

"If you were, we would be having a much more serious and deadly engagement." She said, her blood-red eyes with black white looking at her. Cinder bowed her head.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Enjoy the show, gentlemen?" The ashen- asked, turning her head towards the two men that stood in the darkness.

"A very impressive display, ma'am." One man said, shorter than the other massive and bulky figure next to him.

"However, she is clearly no match for you." Watts said, arrogantly. Cinder gritted his teeth.

"She is improving at least, Watts. You, however, are clearly too old to train." Salem said, smiling. Watts blinked as he realized that his mistress had just roasted him.

"She's right, Cinder. You're improving with the sabers, but you need to be more quick. Knowing the Syms, they'll be Force-augmented, about as quick as our lady." Hazel told Cinder as if she were a younger sister.

"Still, I must ask: will Tyrian also be trained in lightsaber combat as well." Watts asked, trying to get over being burned.

"Perhaps, if he pays attention. He is very... wild, I must admit." Salem admitted.

"Crazy bastard," Hazel muttered.

"I recruited him for his skills and unique personality, as I did with each of you." Salem said, looking around her.

"And we are grateful, milady." Cinder said, bowing her head.

"You will need more training, however, young Cinder. I want you to keep studying those holocrons." Salem lectured. Cinder nodded.

"It's a shame none of us can actually use this 'Force'." Hazel commented.

"Some people on Remnant are born with telepathy, others with telekinesis, very, very few are born with both at the same time." Salem reminded him.

"The Force, from what I learned is supposed to be a 'living energy field', penetrating, binding, dispersing, and of course, protecting." Salem said, putting away her lightsabers.

"It is also something to be studied. Sadly, none here are Force-sensitive, as you said."

'Ma'am... have there ever been more than one Jedi- one Sym to be exact at any one time?" Cinder asked, curious. Salem turned.

"There were several pairs of twins in the past. I dispatched one pair and had my way with half of another, but after our encounters, they usually disappear for awhile. To where, I don't even know, I must admit." Salem admitted, humbly.

"That's a theme I'm sensing with these people," Hazel said, crossing his arms.

"Nonetheless, I tire of dealing with them myself. I would rather start training others to fight in my stead." Salem said.

"Now, Cinder, go to your room and study." She ordered. Cinder nodded and then bowed.

"Yes, mistress." she said. She then left the room. They watched as the young girl left.

"I believe you two have things to do?" She asked, turning to her other followers. They nodded and then left with respect. Salem stood there, thinking.

"Artyr Sym," She whispered. There had been several Jedi with that name. Cinder had told her what Emerald had discovered. She believed it was time that she asked an old friend for information.

She then went upstairs throughout the castle. Outside, the landscape looked desolate, like a wasteland as the moon hovered over the sky. One would feel very disturbed at this, but not her.

Her robes flowed as she walked gracefully through the castle towards the reliquary. She opened the lock with her powers and walked in. A vast array of artifacts and items were around her as she walked in. Among them, hanging on a rack were twelve lightsabers. She then walked over to a metal with a floating crystal, hovering in the middle.

Salem rolled up her sleeves and then stretched out her hands, calling on her powers. Lightning bolts came from her fingers and hit the crystal. The crystal glowed white and immediately a portal constrained by the ring opened, revealing a tunnel of impossible colors. Lesser men would be driven mad. She sighed.

"Back to visit _him_ again," She groaned. She walked through the tunnel until she saw the opening. She then found herself in a darkened room in some kind of study. She looked around. The room was full of holobooks and there was a desk.

She then walked towards the door as it slid open. She then found herself in a hallway as the sun outside was setting. She looked outside the window to see a cityscape that made the four kingdoms of Remnant nothing more than small villages in comparison. The skyrscrapers rose high into the sky as speeders sped to and fro in traffice. A vast city covered the entire world, save some mountains in the distance. She frowned. There were too many humans and what-have-you here to deal with. That's the thing she hated about this reality. She couldn't do anything here as there were so many that they could easily take her down with sheer numbers.

At least, when last she spoke with her 'friend', the Jedi were off fighting a war with the Separatists... while her colleague manipulated everyone from behind the scenes. Pure genius, really. If only he realized that Remnant was her world, her jurisdiction, her future kingdom, not his.

However, she realized too that he was powerful... extremely powerful. If they fought, she was unsure if she could even win against someone who was both a Sith Lord and the ruler of this galaxy.

After the first thousand years of being hounded by the Sym family, and wondering just where in the hell they had come from, she found what appeared to be some kind of portal. That same portal took about a measly three months to work out. Of course, she didn't realize it was a portal right up until she discovered how to activate it.

When she arrived, she found herself on the world of Korriban after the Hundred Year Darkness. There, she had learned from the first of the great Sith Lords: Ajunta Pall. She learned about the history of the Jedi, the civil war that had ocurred and how the Sym family was one of the oldest families that produced Jedi for the Order. She learned lightsaber combat from him. It took about three years to get back to Remnant after she discovered another portal on Ziost as the first Sith Empire expanded. Afterwards, she would return to learn more information about what was going on. From there, she had saw the rise and fall of the Sith Empires.

Of course, back on Remnant, she had dealt with the troublesome henchmen of now-Ozpin and the Silver-Eyed Warriors.

Of course, one year, she had arrived on Korriban as usual to speak with a Dark Lord, if she could find one. She had discovered that the planet had been laid to waste by the Jedi and the Republic after survivors told her what happened.

She pitied them, really. What had happened to them was a travesty and only furthered her resolve against the humans of both Remnant and the galaxy.

She made sure she played only minor parts in the conflicts between the Sith and the Jedi, ensuring that she was never recorded. There was at one point when she had feelings for a certain Sith Lord. That same Sith Lord, however, broke her heart as he had tried to take over after she let him come with her to Remnant.

She still kept the saber he had... and his skull.

Afterwards, the old feeling of attraction returned every three thousand or so.

Then, came the Rule of Two as she had found out after arriving yet again on Korriban to find that the last members of the Sith had perished... save one: Bane. She had met him after the battle and found out what happened. He taught her a few things the Sith had known.

Over the years, as more and more of the Sym family appeared, she had fought each and everyone of them through her pawns and servants. She finally fought them one-on-one. After a thousand years of having her ass handed to her by the Jedi and their Silver-Eyed warrior allies, she had the upper hand.

Personally, she had killed about thirteen out of the many members of the Salem family. Others she had grieviously wounded. They never returned, though their pride had taken a hit. She never saw them again, and that included up to Aogust Sym, Artyr Sym's apparent father.

She then walked down the hallway to be met by an old man with a white beard. His hair was neat and silver. His cape was burgundy and held by chains around his throat as he wore the black outfit. A curved lightsaber hung at his belt. The man looked at her in question. His eyes, clearly human, whereas hers was not.

Dooku nodded in respect.

"Lady Salem," He said, walking forward.

"If I may follow a certain custom?" He asked.

"Of course," Salem said, raising her hand. Dooku kissed it. She then let it fall.

"Always the king as usual, Dooku." she said as the two walked.

"I was born into nobility before I was taken by the Order," He said, saying the last bit with disdain.

"Tell me, are you familiar with the name 'Artyr Sym?" She asked. Dooku looked at her in surprise.

"Ah, so he _did_ arrive on your world," He said. She felt that he was relieved.

"Did he cause trouble for you?" she asked, looking at him.

"I came here to ask about his history. I personally wanted to ask young Sheev what he knows." She asked. Dooku at first wanted to correct her then stopped himself.

"Artyr Sym and his master were among the hundred Jedi that tried to rescue an old padawan of a padawan of mine. Regrettably, I had no idea that there was yet another one of the family, as Master had told me after I joined him, until I witnessed the death of the boy's master."

"His master? So he's not a full-fledged knight?" She asked as they walked.

"No, thankfully not. You must be very relieved to hear that, I suspect." Dooku said, looking at her.

"I have faced only full-fledged knights in the past, but never a padawan. Something seems very off about this, though I'm not like you or your master." Salem said as they arrived at a certain room. The door opened before Dooku could knock.

There was a fireplace in the room with a chair facing the door. A hooded figure sat in the chair, his white hands visible along with his mouth.

"Salem," The older man's voice said, speaking.

"Lord Sidious, it is very good to see you again." Salem said, bowing her head in respect. She walked forward and stood before him. She had met him several times before. Together, they had experimented in various ways.

"I sensed your arrival. I must assume you are here, yet again about certain members of the Jedi Order that have arrived on your world?" Sidious asked. He folded his hands.

"Tell me, would that be one Artyr Sym?" He asked.

"Indeed, it is. You know me so well." She said, nodding in response as she smiled.

"It is quite unfortunate that you do not have Force-sensitivity.. you would have made the most excellent of apprentices." Sidious smiled as well. They both knew full well that was not the case. The Sith Rule of Two was cutthroat with the apprentice killing the master or the master defending his position by killing his or her apprentice.

"I trust that things go well on your own world?" Sidious asked.

"With the new Sym that has arrived, I'm afraid that it may be set back." She said, honestly.

"I could help you, you know." He told the witch. Salem pursed her lips. On the one hand, having a great and powerful ally would be beneficial... but on the other hand, it was possible that he could turn against her, even going so far as to kill her and take control of Remnant. She knew he had great powers even beyond what she could do back on Remnant.

She decided to play it as safe as she could.

"No, I think I can deal with it. I've killed Syms before, thanks to your ancestors' training." She told them.

"And yet, we know that the Sym family, who use my order's old enemies as mere stepping stones on the road to becoming powerful warriors. Where they go after that, we both know."

"And yet, after I either deal with them (as I have killed about twelve of the Syms in total but others not so much.), they then disappear from my world. I always assumed that they went back to your galaxy." Salem explained, humbly.

"I do not think that would be necessary, but thank you." She told him.

"Are you sure?" Lord Sidious asked.

"I am, yes." She said in response.

Sidious was silent as if considering something.

"Very well, as to the matter-at-hand..." The Sith Lord said, nodding. She felt at ease, but didn't show it.

"The Jedi Council tried to hide him from me since he was presumably given, per the apparent family tradition." The Sith Lord explained.

"Oh, yes." He told Salem.

"I have learned a great deal about this young man, the descendant of our enemies." He said.

"I know for instance that, like others before him, at an early age, he was prone to... well-" He laughed.

"The family gift," He said.

"Their alternate form," She said. He nodded.

"I first 'met' the young Padawan on Geonosis, the day the war started." Count Dooku explained. He then told her about the battle, how a former padawan of a former padawan had arrived chasing after a bounty hunter under his control, whom was also the genetic father of the Republic military. He then talked about how after that, Anakin Skywalker had arrived with the Senator from Naboo and then the resulting chaos as around a hundred Jedi arrived to save all three of the fools.

. He told them how a Jedi, he later learned his name was Bellophoron, jumped into his box to kill him and then described his death and what happened afterwards.

"The boy's compassion for others is his weakness," Sidious commented. He then sighed as Dooku described Jango Fett's violent death.

"Well, clearly had I gotten him, I would have made him a much more powerful person." Sidious added as well.

"On that, we have no doubt." Salem said, nodding but on the inside she was a bit worried as a Sym that was a Sith sounded like trouble for her. If Artyr Sym had been raised to be Sith, he would, no doubt, have killed everyone and everything using the dark side of the Force. She imagined as countless of her Grimm would be destroyed thanks to a combination of Sith sorcery and a Sym's natural strength.

It almost made her glad that the boy turned out to be a Jedi.

She then noticed Dooku hiding his fearful expression under a mask of civility.

"What else is there to know?"

"He had two masters. Bellophoron, whom died on Geonosis, and Almira afterwards." Dooku said.

"What of his record during your current..." Salem paused to find the right word.

"'Game'?" Sidious asked with a smile. She nodded.

"Yes, that." She said.

They then told her the boy's time on Kamino, how they discovered that he was the son of Aogust Sym, whom they explained to her had disappeared five hundred years prior.

"No Syms at all during that time," She whispered, putting her hand to her chin. On the one hand, that was good news... but on the other hand... why? Why hadn't any Sym appeared in five hundred years.

"We figured that Padawan Sym arrived in your world after I discovered how he was a part of a mission sent to a world we had interest in." He said.

She looked at him.

"There was a portal that they used there as well, wasn't there?" She asked, looking at the Sith Lord's apprentice. Dooku sighed and then nodded.

"Is it the one that they always use to get to my world?" She asked.

"We don't know, sadly. We had researchers, but sadly they disappeared. Most likely, they are dead." Dooku said without a hint of compassion for them.

"What else is there that you can tell me?" She asked.

They told her about the Battle of Athys commenting that 'droids' were mere cheap objects in the grand scheme of things. They also told her about the apparent loyalty he had to the men under his command.

"So, he's more soldier than a Jedi." She said.

"Perhaps he uses his blaster more than a saber. That's very helpful information... also loyal to those who serve under him, that can be exploited." She said thinking aloud.

"What of the Grimm that I sent you, actually. What happened to them?" She asked.

"Regrettably, they died. I apologize if they held any meaning to you." Sidious said, feigning sympathy. Salem wanted to bark at him that they were her gift to his faction, but bit it as she realized what he could do.

Dooku then told her about the mission that Artyr Sym had been on with a Republic Commando squad.

"Thank you for telling me," She said.

"I'll be sure to send you more," She added.

"A lot more, please. In the coming Empire, I will use them for order... provided you provide me the means of controlling such creatures? I find your Grimm fascinating, I must confess." Sidious said.

"Can you not make creatures of your own?" she asked, remembering Sith alchemy.

"Of course, of course! I have not forgotten how to create such things. However, I feel that once I have such a massive amount of forces in the future, they may not be so useful." He said.

"However, I would like to keep a variety of such things in hand for if populations become... unruly in the future." Palpatine.

She nodded.

"I understand completely. As you know I will subjugate the people on my own world, pretty much using your methods as well, I might add." Salem half-lied. She hadn't told him about the maidens or the relics.

She noted that he had masterfully achieved the role of Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, making back room deals while also being a Sith Lord, also appearing not to be Force-Sensitive to the Jedi whom would no doubt would kill him if the truth was revealed. He was operating well, but he was walking a thin line... or a bit of a thin line.

"Hmph," Sidious commented, as if sensing it.

"Very well," He said, nodding.

"Lady Salem, I must ask you: have you so much as trained an apprentice in our ways?" He asked.

"I have, yes. Of course, I am aware of the Rule of Two... and what it means for me." She said.

"And your apprentice?"

"Will not betray me, I am sure." She lied, knowing that there was a likely hood that Cinder may one day try to kill her as she would fulfill her completion of taking the Fall Maiden's powers and therefore try to take other maiden's powers in order to unlock the chambers containing the relics that they carried.

However, there were the other three maidens to deal with. And once their use had been exhausted, she would cast them aside, like tools. She would get what she wanted.

"I must thank you, Lord Sidious for your tremendous hospitality and aid." She said, bowing her head in respect.

"From one ruler to another, thank you... truly." She said.

"Likewise, milady." Sidious said, nodding.

"I will take my leave now, if you wish?" Salem requested. Sidious made an approving gesture.

"I shall escort you out, milady." Dooku said, walking forward.

"Quite the gentleman," Salem commented as Dooku joined her.

Sidious chuckled.

"Such foolish thoughts of romance," He commented as soon as they were out of earshot.

The Sith Lord folded his hands.

"I shall gain your world, Salem... one way or another." He said, chuckling.

"And when that happens: I will enjoy watching you burn."

XXX

Count Dooku walked alongside her.

"I trust you know your eventual fate?" Salem asked as they walked.

"I realize that," The man affirmed.

"Either I become the master or I die," He answered.

"Perhaps you may become the master," She suggested.

"We both know he is very powerful... too powerful without an apprentice." Dooku said.

"Lord Tyrannus, you never mentioned why you became Sith in our last meeting. I am a little curious." She asked.

"I was part of a Jedi task force to put down a rebellion, the results I felt were... terrible." Dooku said, recalling with pain.

"You were a Jedi," She said to him as they stopped.

"I am no longer, now I am Sith." Dooku told her.

"On that I have no doubt," She complimented him.

"Flattering as always,"

"I know what to say," She said, smiling. Dooku stood there blinking.

"Ah," He said. They continued walking. He saw her to the portal in the library.

"By the way, Lord Tyrannus-" She said after activating the portal as the glow illuminated them both.

Before the man knew it, she kissed him on the lips, shocking him. It was a chaste kiss.

"For your constant..." She started to say.

"Chivalry, I think." She said, smiling. Dooku blinked in disbelief. He could only watch as she grinned as she sauntered through the portal after her.

When she arrived back on Remnant, she sighed and rubbed her face, particularly her lips.

"At least the apprentice is a lot less worse than the master," She said.

'He's also definitely going to die,' She admitted, shaking her head.

"Poor man," She commented.

"Ah well," She said, going off to do her work.


	25. Chapter 25: Vectivus's Teachings Part I

Chapter 25

The past several days had been... uneventful since the night he had discovered what Master Yoda had hidden from him. A lot of questions were still running through his head. He had found out that Master Almira had left the order the week after he had gone to Remnant. Ahsoka and Skywalker had gone on a mission while he was at Arturon.

Lira had also told him that there had been a propaganda film about him two weeks later. He scoffed. Like hell, any of it was accurate or true for that matter.

Everything felt so strange though. More than five weeks ago, he had been on Arthuron, a Jedi Padawan that was regarded as a black sheep of the order due to his mysterious past and capable of great destruction.

When he arrived, he thought he was on an alien planet, incapable of getting back home or contacting anyone, and he still felt so alone as there was noone else like him, save the Sith doctor. He had hated her due to the order's history with the Sith.

A week ago, he discovered that his mother was in fact the same person who had arrested him before, his father was the Jedi Aogust Sym, his family was part of some kind of inter-dimensional traveling race of aliens that were Force-users, along with some other things, and they always gave away their children for some tradition. Not only that, but the headmaster of Beacon Academy was in fact, his ancestral uncle, as he had been adopted by the first Sym to be a Jedi.

His girlfriend had arrived that same night and his two younger brothers. That same night as well, he had learned that Master Yoda had known who his father was! It was more than likely the entire Council knew about his family history and never told him!

He had cut off his braid the next morning. Lira was back at the Xiao Long house, trying to recover, and be taught by Taiyang on how to defend herself in this strange new world she was in along with learning how to read and write English. He was the only one who raised daughters in the extended family of him, Qrow, and Ozpin. He knew that Raven, Qrow's sister didn't count, knowing her reputation.

He sighed as he went off towards the library after the last class had ended. He had told Rebecca and the others that he had to do a bit of late night studying in the library.

"Why can't you study back in the room?" Rebecca asked.

"Want some time alone," He told her.

"You sure, man?" Yi asked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, I want to learn more about some things." Artyr half-lied.

"Oh yeah? What kind of things?" Tyler asked, suspicious. The three subordinates looked at their team leader. Art looked at Rebecca. He didn't want her to know her true heritage. She grew up believing that she had been a faunus her whole life. What she didn't know was that her grandmother, who most likely baked her cookies, was a Sith Lady who was capable of casting force lightning among other things.

And so, he did the one thing he swore to Master Bellophoron he would never do: he did a crack at someone's mother.

"Things you have no need knowing about," He told them. They gave him a look of confusion.

"By the way, I want you guys to bring Teams RWBY and JNPR on Friday afternoon out to the forest." Artyr told them before leaving.

"Dude, you've been acting really strange. What's going on?" Yi asked, walking up to him, his fox ears twitching.

"It's..." He sighed.

"I'll explain everything on Friday." He told them before leaving for the library.

He touched the Sith holocron in his pocket as he went towards the library. It was open at all times, strangely. The sun set outside as he found someplace private as well as quiet to watch.

He got a drink from a nearby vending machine with a warning for people not to get spills on the books. Artyr then placed the holocron before him as he sat down. He popped the metal tab of the soda can and leaned back.

"Activate," He ordered. The holocron lit up a red glow.

"Play all recordings," He ordered again.

"Playing all recordings," The holocron affirmed. Immediately, an image of a man appeared over the tip of the holocron.

"And who the _fuck_ are you?" Artyr said, slowly as he took a sip of soda. A month before, he would've tossed this thing into a dumpster or crushed it into a ball. Now, after everything that happened, he wasn't so sure anymore. He wanted to hear what the old Sith Lord had to say.

"Greetings," The man started to say. He wore a hood, but unlike the Jedi, he didn't wear a tunic. The man's robes looked dark. His eyes looked like it was an unnatural color like yellow or something. He looked old... very aged. Probably around eighty or ninety even.

"I am Vectivius, Lord of the Sith." He announced.

"Never heard of you," Artyr told him flatly as he took a sip.

"The Jedi would have one believe that all Sith are, by nature, (and for lack of a better term) 'evil'" Vectivius said.

"I am pleased to say that is not the case," The long-dead Sith Lord said.

"Let me tell you about myself. Perhaps then, your mind may be opened." The Sith said as he gestured with a smile.

"I had been born with a normal life by literally _anyone_ 's standards." He said.

"After going through the usual amount of education, I became the administrator of an asteroid mining facility in the MZX32905 system," He chuckled. Artyr looked at the man's ghost. He had never heard of that place before.

"I know, a long-ass name. Should've had a better name than a list of numbers and letters." He said.

"I was quite the businessman, back then. But what neither my parents realized or myself before then was that I was Force-sensitive."

"Y'see, the colony I had started having... problems." He said, gesturing.

"There had been an extinct species of mynock on the colony before we arrived and their remains caused the place to be an area filled with the dark side of the Force." He continued. Artyr frowned and crossed his arms. He had never heard any of this before. Why hadn't anyone known about this. ?

"Sadly, over the years, the workers at the mine started going insane... regrettably. I saw what was going on and I experimented on it, trying to find out what was going on until I discovered what had happened before we arrived." Vectivus explained.

"A lot of terrible things happened. The miners started doing some pretty peculiar things as they went insane: actually leeching energy off of eachother for one thing, essentially acting like the mynock-species that came before us." Vectivus said, counting them off with his fingers.

"They had visions, which I thought were hallucinations, and

"That's completely insane," Artyr said, bewildered, leaning forward.

Vectivus grinned as he crossed his arms.

"Good, now I really have your attention." He said. If Artyr didn't know any better, he'd say the image was aware of him completely.

"I also began to experience these things myself actually." Vectivus confessed.

"You can imagine how I felt when I learned I was Force-sensitive after I did a bit of research," The Lord confessed.

"Well, I had to mismanage reports so that people wouldn't start poking their nose into it." The Sith Lord and former administrator admitted. He looked at the Jedi, though Artyr knew that he was looking at the holocron as it recorded. Vectivus made a scowl as Artyr tilted his head in disbelief.

"Motherfucker! The people there needed help!" He shouted at the holocron. Unexpectedly, the holocron spoke back.

"Yes, I am aware that is completely wrong of me to do, but you have to understand, I was really interested in what was going on! I didn't want any outside help until I learned I was Force-sensitive." Vectivus said, flatly. Artyr blinked. Did Vectivus see into the future? Had he seen Artyr viewing this or anything?

"Anyway, I had to shut down the mine and start experimenting on my own. As for the workers and their families..." He sighed.

"They all went insane. There was nothing I could do for them, really." Vectivus said.

"If you have any moral qualms, you can have the full assurance of me that I made sure that they all passed away with dignity." Artyr looked at him and looked at the man.

"You didn't," Artyr breathed in shock.

"They died in their sleep as they all hadn't slept for days. I didn't euthanize them, if that's what you were thinking." Vectivus answered flatly.

Artyr sighed in relief.

"Well, after I shut down the mine, I learned a bit more about what was going on: it turns out the mynocks that lived before us were actually sentient." Vectivus explained.

"Sentient mynocks... an oxymoron, don't you think?" Artyr asked, taking a sip of his cola.

"I know it's an oxymoron, but I can tell you that they left records." The Sith Lord said.

"Apparently, they had their own civilization on the asteroid. According to what I read, the ruling class of them, after a while, shut themselves into the asteroid's interior and then started to starve to death. Then, they started leeching off of the dark side of the Force and spread their way throughout the asteroid." Vectivus said.

"At some point, sadly, they became extinct." He said, sighing. He shook his head as he looked down.

"A bad way for a race to go, really. Your whole people gone along with your family... no one left, not even an infant..." Vectivus said, sadly. Artyr blinked.

He had never known Sith Lords to cry. He had always thought that being sad was a sign of weakness for them.

He looked up at the viewer, in this case, Artyr.

"It's a sad story about what happened to them, really. Their last records said that there had been some kind of civil war and then, they started to..." He shook his head. Artyr started seeing something fall from the Sith Lord as he looked away. Were those... tears?

"They leeched energy off of eachother... until only one remained and then that one too died a long time before we arrived." He explained, trying to hold back.

"Like I said: terrible way for a species to go extinct." He said, shaking his head. The Sith Lord looked up at him. He sniffled.

"Well, after that, I wiped all records of the mine's existence... but I planned on using it as a base of operations. This was after I discovered I was force-sensitive." Vectivus explained.

"Not only that, but I had to persuade and bribe people so that nobody would find out," Vectivus confessed. Artyr shook his head.

"Yes, I bribed people. I am human and flawed. I will admit that." Vectivus admitted while emphasizing 'human' and 'flawed'.

"I couldn't go to the Jedi as I was too old to be with them," He said, honestly.

"Not only that, but I know for a fact they would've turned me in to the authorities if they knew what I did." Vectivus added.

"Obviously," Artyr told him.

"I then started looking for the Sith," He said. Artyr shifted in his chair.

"Well, you know my current rank. Let me explain why:"

"The Sith were the only ones who could help me understand what I was, I felt. Not only that, but unlike the Jedi: they have emotions! They're not mindless, robotic, nihilistic space monks with sabers!" He said.

"If you're a Jedi, I apologize, but I am speaking the truth: you people are really emotionless. I mean," He scoffed.

"You deny your feelings. If someone dies, you go 'Oh, well. He's one with the Force now'."

"No!" He shouted, startling the Jedi padawan.

"You grieve for that person, you fucker! Imagine if that was your own child that died or your wife or your best friend!" He roared. His face angry. He sighed, angrily.

"I'll tell you later about the crimes of the Jedi, though they act so 'noble'." Vectivus said, dismissively.

"Anyway, I had to look around for about," He thought.

"A year or two. It's been a long while since then actually." He admitted.

"Bear in mind, the Sith had been supposedly killed during their last stand on Korriban." He told the viewer.

"Turns out that wasn't the case as I found my Master, who it turned out had been waiting for me." He said. He smiled.

"You can imagine my surprise when he took me in as his apprentice," Artyr then leaned forward.

"Now then, let me explain: if you may or may not know your history: after the Sith were almost destroyed, Darth Bane (the sole survivor) didn't want anymore inside fighting amongst the Sith as that led to competition and therefore would've led to the destruction of the entire Order. So, he decided to start with the Rule of Two."

"One Master, One apprentice. The Master trains the apprentice until the apprentice completes his training and kills the master." Vectivus explained.

Artyr heard what he thought sounded like a loud, wet fart He stood up and looked around. He listened intently. He sensed several people somewhere near him. How had they gotten in without him noticing?

He then peered out from where his little hiding spot was and looked around, seeing nothing around the library. Outside, the sun had set, giving the library a more gloomy look as it was covered in darkness.

Before Vectivus could continue, Artyr spoke.

"Pause recording. Shut down. Resume recording when activated." Artyr ordered.

"Shutting down," The holocron responded as Vectivus's image froze and then winked out of existence. He then pocketed the holocron and bolted for the other entrance to the library. Somone had been listening in. Someone that shouldn't have.

He ran out the other entrance, not realizing that he had left the soda can on the table.

XXX

The other three members of Team ARTY: Rebecca, Tyler, and Yi all froze as soon as a loud, wet, fart was heard from one of them. Across aisle, behind a bookshelf were Blake and Ruby who were also frozen with fear of being discovered.

After Artyr had left for the library, the three decided that they needed to know what was going on with him. He'd been acting strange since he had arrived at Beacon, everyone noticed.

When they went to the library, they met Blake and Ruby whom had been wanting to return some books that were way overdue.

They had explained what they were doing to the two. The leader of RWBY and her subordinate both agreed as the group of friends had noticed that Artyr had been acting strange since he arrived on Remnant.

They had snuck into the library shortly after their Jedi friend had gone off to find a quiet corner for some odd reason. The two groups had split and stealthily crept up to two bookshelves in front of Artyr's spot as he got up to go get a drink from a vending machine. They had listened in, ocassionally peering as Artyr placed an object on the table that was shaped like a pyramid, only it was made of red and black but crystalline on the inside. Then, they watched him order it to activate and 'play all recordings'... it seemed like Artyr knew how to operate this thing.

Rebecca and Yi brought out their scrolls to record what was going on. Ruby and Blake did so, too.

Then, they heard the recording. They listened in shock as the apparent recording that Artyr was listening to: a hologram that had appeared over the tip of the object, was that of a guy named 'Vectuvius, a Lord of the Sith'. Everyone had been shocked to the core as he listened.

They all remembered Artyr speaking badly about the Sith, how they committed atrocities and were once former brothers to the Jedi until the Great Schism more than six thousand years before the current events in outer space. He described each war the Jedi and Sith had fought at the table the three teams sat at as friends as he talked about what life was like in the Republic, what had occurred. Of course, he had tried not to outshine Dr. Oobleck's history class though the Professor clearly wanted to know more about what occurred.

Lately however, he hadn't been so talkative. After initially talking about the battle that started what Artyr had termed 'The Clone Wars', and the battle that had resulted in his master's death, his sent to Kamino and his relationship with his alien girlfriend (whom they still couldn't believe existed, much less Artyr having a girlfriend).

It appeared that something had happened to him in the past three days, making him more strange than usual. Team ARTY had spoken with the other teams about how some nights he had nightmares of something bad. Ruby, Pyrrha, Yang, and Blake all told them about the 'migraines' he had around them, even when something was mentioned at times like the Vytal Tournament, or Mystral, or Haven Academy or anything else.

It made them all wonder what was really going on as three days ago, he had cut off his braid. He had earlier explained to him that Jedi padawans had their hair braided if they had hair (as there were also alien Jedi). The braid was cut off when they were knighted. And Artyr sure didn't get knighted!

They listened as the Sith Lord had talked about his past, being an administrator of some kind of asteroid mining colony and talking about the events that happened. They heard Artyr's comments which were pretty loud, but it was as if the man recording had known what the reaction would be, even being sad at what happened to the 'sentient mynock race'.

Rebecca made a note that she should ask Artyr what a 'mynock' was.

Then, they listened in shock at the man's practices: he had falsified reports so that nobody would come in an investigate what was going on, then after the miners died from insomnia and insanity, he had bribed and persuaded people to ensure that the mine didn't exist on official records and then left to find the Sith. They heard him talk about how he had apparently been expected to arrive by the man's old Sith master. They then listened in horror as they heard him describe the atrocious and brutal Rule of Two instituted by an earlier Sith Lord, Darth Bane.

Then, the most stupid thing that could happened... happened: Yi's eating of about four burritos from Taco Tuesday earlier had come back to bite him in the ass as he farted. The other faunus and the human looked at their teammate in both disgust and anger after Artyr had run away, making them unfreeze.

 _"Ho-ly shit!"_ Yi yelled aloud as soon as Artyr was possibly out of the library. They all stood up.

"I thought he said the Sith were bad?!" He yelled looking at everyone as they gathered.

"That's what he told me!" Ruby blurted, confused and horrified at what they heard as she put her hand to her chest.

"I don't even remember him having that thing while he stayed at my house!" Ruby said, panicking.

"And I went through his stuff while he slept at my house!" She confessed, extending her arms as she shouted.

"You went through his belongings without his permission?" Blake asked her leader and crossed her arms as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Seriously, Ruby? Seriously?" She said, irritated. Ruby touched her index fingers in shame as she blushed.

"I was just curious," She said.

"Well, this still doesn't change the fact that the boss is starting to go fucking haywire." Tyler announced.

"He needs help or he's gonna' get put down like a rabid dog if he doesn't stop going off the fuckin' rails." Tyler told them, flatly as he gestured a cutting motion with his neck.

"He wouldn't do that! He's-" Ruby defended her friend.

"Lass, something's going down and none of us are going to like it!" Tyler barked at her.

"I agree, but I doubt he'd do anything to harm _any_ of us." Blake said, putting her opinion.

"You sure? Because, let's list the facts:

1) he's an alien psychic warrior from outer space fighting an interstellar war

2) He turns into a fucking ogre when he's really pissed

3) He's got a laser sword that can cut through anything

4) He's been keeping a shit ton of secrets from us

5) He's a fucking hypocrite as he has a secret girlfriend when his order's rules prevent him from doing so

6) Has anyone forgotten the story where he bashed a man's head in after the guy killed his old master? " Tyler said, listing the reasons.

"He's a good man," Ruby said, tears falling.

"Lass... he's not what we think he is!"

"He treats me like I'm his little sister! He's far away from his family!"

"He has no family, you dumb bitch!" Tyler roared at her.

"That's uncalled for!" Blake said, stepping in front of Ruby as she glared at Tyler.

"What the fuck, Ty?" Yi yelled at him angrily.

Rebecca couldn't help but think. Her eyes shifted as she thought as everyone else argued.

She remembered the conversation she had with her grandmother, how she talked about how there were 'certain people' out to get her. That's when it hit her like a bolt of lightning as she realized it.

Ruby had said that Artyr told her that Sith had yellow eyes, that they were dark side force users. He had mistaken Blake for a Sith, apparently, but relented when he found out her name was Blake... someone he knew from the war and was now a student as she taught him how to read and write English. She had pressed for details about what happened to her male, and now-revealed-to-be-a-clone counterpart but he never spoke of it. Nor did he speak about anything else that happened during the war.

But Ruby's retellings of Artyr's stories of the wars waged between the Sith and the Jedi had made her think over the past month about it all.

She knew where he got the holocron from. He never had it in the first place: it was given to him. That person was the only one she knew that had yellow eyes. The one person who had given birth to her family.. the only one who never spoke clearly or truthfully about where she came from or what she did.

Grandma Arina, loveable, sweet, hard-core and bad-ass Grandma Arina... was a Sith. How the hell was anyone else going to react to this? She looked up as she realized what she had to do.

"Guys, it's getting late. We need to go to bed." She announced. Everyone looked at her.

"But... we still need to do something about Art! We don't even know where he got that thing from!" Ruby said, exasperated. She was clearly worried.

"He didn't have that thing with him when he came to Remnant!" She said.

"We'll deal with it in the morning. It's really late." Rebecca told them all trying to control every emotion she had. Every insecurity, fear, and anger that she had at her own flesh and blood for what she had never told anyone else.

"You okay, lass? You look like you're going to kill someone." Tyler asked, a bit worried. Yi looked at his fellow faunus with worry as did everyone else.

"Like I said:" Rebecca said, glaring at everyone else.

"We'll deal with it in the morning," She said, angrily as her head dipped.


	26. Chapter 26: Vectivus's Teachings Part 2

Chapter 26

Artyr had run like a bat out of hell from the library and started looking for a place to hide. He decided that the cliffs overlooking the gap between the Academy and the Emerald Forest would do. Who would look there? He hadn't had time to recognize whose presences he felt as he had been so busy into watching the holocron, he hadn't noticed.

Who would they tell? Uncle Ozpin would kick him out for sure if he found out what he had! Mom would be pissed and every one of his classmates and friends would know him for the hypocritical shit that he was. He sighed as he realized a lot of people would want their feet in his ass.

'Odin would've had my balls in a vise,' He thought. He stopped pantin.

"By the Force, how could I forget?" He whispered. He had let a day go by without thinking of a clone he considered an older brother. He sighed and shook his head as he put a hand on his back. How could he forget his four 'older' brothers? His first _pod_?

He missed Loki's jokes, Baldur's sage advice, Thor's bluntness, and of course, Odin himself. What he wouldn't give to have them back.. metaphorically. What would they think of him now though?

Just then, he felt something in the Force... something familiar. As if... it had been stirred from slumber. He looked around, feeling something watch him. There was nothing around him... only the calls of the Grimm, the chirping of crickets and the wind. He sighed.

So much had changed in the span of a month? What could he possibly tell everyone in school? 'I'm from a long-line of inter-dimensional aliens that like to give their kids away to Jedi, by the way, my family is fighting against an evil witch who's plotting to take over the world and guess what? You sorry assholes are going to be fighting her, too!' Ridiculous.

He shook his head.

Ruby would probably stop talking to them... All of them would stop talking to them when they found out what the Jedi had done all those thousands of years ago. Rebecca would probably freak learning that her grandmother's a Sith, as would everyone else. And if he told Pyrrha about her death, Yang about her arm... What then? Disbelief? Shock? Disapproval? Anger?

What could he say to his friends? What could he say to anyone here?!

"Fuck it," He said, putting the holocron in front of him.

"Activate," He ordered. The holocron activated.

"Resume saved recording," He ordered.

"Resume playing," The holocron affirmed.

Vectivus appeared and then began speaking again.

"Of course, I didn't kill my master, actually." Vectivus confessed.

"I know the Rule: the apprentice kills the master, but the master can kill the apprentice in self-defense or for failure and find a new one. However," He said.

"Quite simply: I didn't kill anyone." The man said, shrugging. Artyr blinked and tilted his head as he shifted his body as he sat.

"Surprising, isn't it?" Vectivus grinned.

"You hear about the Sith being all conniving, manipluative, scheming, depraved, murderous and every other terrible word in the dictionary." Vectivus said, crossing his arms. He scoffed and then started coughing.

"The truth is," He said, recovering.

"Not all Sith are like that," He said.

"That's something you have to understand: Most Sith are usually perceived as evil. But there are... good ones, for lack of a better term He said after pausing.

"Now, I know a lot of what my ancestors in the Order did was wrong... along with many others.. but-" He shrugged.

"That's on them, not me." He said, pointing to himself.

"I never raped anyone, never killed or hurt people," He said, counting with his fingers.

"I never took a bribe, though I did end up bribing people so that the mine, which now serves as my homebase simply called 'The Home' would be forgotten by everyone save me, my family, friends, and of course, my apprentice." He said.

"Habits die hard," He laughed.

"I didn't kill my master, as tradition should've dictated." He said.

"In fact, I let him die a natural death and fulfilled his last request." He confessed. Artyr couldn't believe what he was hearing. He figured Sith would be usually arrogant, condescending from the records he heard. Instead, this Sith acted so... _human_.

"I became the Master, but the thing is..." He said, sighing.

"I wasn't into combat." He admitted.

"Instead, I decided to pursue knowledge." He laughed.

"I know right? A business man first, then a Sith apprentice, then a Sith Master, and then a bookworm." He said.

"Well, I gathered every scrap of Sith lore I could get my hands on... of course, I still experimented. However..." He pursed his lips.

"The Force power I developed is definitely not natural to Jedi," He said.

"Let me explain: the power is what I call 'Force-phantom'." He said. Artyr shook his head. The Sith sighed.

"The trick is, you need a living source, a being such as an animal or yes, even a person (sadly) to power a 'phantom'. You link with that being through the Force and you conjure up a phantom or several of yourself or perhaps even others." He said.

"Now, granted. It can be a bit straining, and very scary to the one whose being linked."

'The use for this power can vary such as decieving enemies or as a punishment to individuals that deserve it, or to serve as a lesson, which I shall use." He said, boldly. Artyr's jaw went a gape as Vectivus described the technique he did.

"You're right: not only is that not natural: it's downright Force heresy!" He barked at the holocron. He then winced as he realized he could be heard.

"Using a living person or animal to conjure up a phantom?! Are you all batshit crazy and high on every drug from ryll to giggle dust?!" He hissed his comment.

"Now, remember when I said that it can serve as a sort of punishment?" Vectivus asked. Artyr nodded, slowly.

"The thing is: if it or any and all of the phantoms die, then the being that serves as its source dies as well." Artyr shook his head in disbelief.

'That is some scary shit, my Sith friend." Artyr told him.

"Oh, it may seem scary, but it's actually very useful if you have enemies." Vectivus admitted.

"Of course, over the years, I actually married." Vectivus confessed. Right at that moment, he heard a door open from off the holoimage. The Sith Lord turned.

"Morik? What are you doing here? Grandpa is busy." Vectivus said in a much softer tone as he crouched to someone's eye level. Then, he saw a boy, no more than about seven years old walk up to him. He had short hair and a tunic. Artyr realized that this was the Sith Lord's grandson.

"Grandma says 'dinner's ready'. She says to get your keister back here or she'll-"

"Morik! What have your grandmother, parents and I told you about using threats like that?" The old Sith Lord said, scolding him. Personally, he thought the Sith Lord would've either force-choked the kid or tossed him out the room with a force push. Instead, he was lecturing like an everyday family man.

"'That gets you nothing but trouble,'" The boy said, repeating what he told as he looked down shamefully.

"Good, now tell your grandmother and your mother that I'm on my way back. I just need to finish up something, alright?" He told his grandson.

"Yes, Grandpa." The boy said, nodding.

"Good," The Sith Lord said, nodding back.

"Now, run along back now." He said, ushering him gently out. The door closed without Artyr seeing the boy go out. Artyr shook his head.

'Did those who weren't monsters have families like this?' He wondered. It made him think of the families that must've suffered during the Sith Holocaust. He sighed as he shook his head.

How many families had been murdered that day and afterwards? How many Sith, both followers and the race, had been killed as bombs were dropped on them, armies coming through the country side slaying everyone in their path, and even his own Jedi ancestors slaughtering them.

Tears started to fall down his eyes as he thought.

The Sith turned back to him.

"As you can see:" The Sith said, crossing his arms.

"Not all of us are monsters, if the person's viewing us is narrow-minded like a Jedi... or perhaps is a Jedi." He said, looking intently at the viewer. Artyr felt as if the man was reaching across time to speak to him.

"I have a lot more information on this holocron, if you want to know more. This is the only one I decided to put in every knowledge about every subject I could get my hands on... including our order's history with the Jedi, the powers known down to my own day, the greatest and worst of Sith lords, life in the various Sith Empires throughout history, every war known along with every civilization as well..." He said and then paused.

"Including some subjects not well known to anyone." He said cryptically. Artyr leaned forward.

"Now then, as to what will happen after I die," He laughed.

"Well, I've lived a good life... gathered a lot of friends, family, and other such things." He said, nodding.

"My friend and doctor told me I have uh," He said, sighing. It looked like it was hard for him to deal with.

"I haven't long left to live. I may have a year or two." He admitted.

"I'm struggling with it. Of course, I could use Sith alchemy to further my life span or other..." He stopped himself and closed his eyes.

"No," He told himself as if stopping the thought. He shook it as his hood moved along with him.

"Never should've even considered it," He said aloud.

"I apologize, had a very unpleasant line of thought." He confessed.

"I have gone to the dark side, yes." He said.

"But, thanks to the ethics I had from my time as an administrator:" He smiled.

"I pulled through without going into any... darker roads, shall we say?" The Sith asked.

"I guess it was my parents' upbringing," He said, taking down his hood, revealing thin and wiry head.

"Stars and galaxies, I miss them." He whispered as he his eyes became distant.

"No matter, soon I shall join them." He said, looking at the viewer.

"I have several words of advice as this is my autobiography portion of this holocron." The Sith Lord said.

"First: If you do go into the dark side, at the very least try to have some semblance of conduct. Find a tether to reality. Anything like a code of some kind (except the Jedi Code because kriff the Jedi Code). Or in my case: my business ethics" He said, raising a finger.

" And Second: Be human. Don't be an emotionless droid like a Jedi." he said, raising a second.

"As to my fate?" He chuckled.

"I shall spend these last two years or less with my family, friends, and of course my apprentice. I would've loved to have at least seen my great-grandchildren." He confessed, smiling.

"I hope that my apprentice follows my path... along with others after him," He said, hopefully and then became sad.

"Though, knowing human nature, that may be a bit unlikely." He said, woefully. His face then brightened.

"Well, there you have it: That's my story. I hope you enjoyed the lesson. I have many other such things available." He said, happily.

"Now, if you'll excuse me:" The Sith Lord concluded.

"I'm late for dinner." He said.

"Stop first recording," The Sith Lord ordered. The image then shifted and then Artyr found Vectivus standing again, looking younger.

He then started learning history from a Sith point of view. He watched as much as he could before seeing the dawn.


	27. Chapter 27: Truth, Offering, Anger

Chapter 27

 **(A/N: Hey, everyone! I am sorry for telling you all this, but I have had some thoughts and I would like to do a bit of a consensus: I am considering turning the fanfiction into more of an original novel or series of novels. I would like to know your thoughts on the matter as I have had a very good following this past month or so. You have been very dedicated readers and have let me know my faults. I thank you for that. I would like to ask your thoughts on the subject as well. So: I am considering discontinuing the fanfiction as I would like to turn the story into a original novel or series of novels with a change of characters and locations. So: my question that I ask is: would you like me to discontinue the fanfiction before I complete it and turn it into a novel or discontinue after I finish the story? )**

After he had watched as much as he could until morning, he returned home with his newfound knowledge of the Sith point of view. It made him think a bit as he walked back to his room. Hopefully, everyone else had been asleep waiting for him as he was out all night. He went into his team's room and found Yi and Tyler wide awake and in their school uniforms. Both of them gave him strange looks.

"What?" Artyr asked, shrugging.

"Where were you last night?" Yi asked, crossing his arms, his fox ears twitching.

"Boss," Tyler said, also crossing his arms.

"We know you've been seeing something you shouldn't." Tyler told him. Artyr felt the color from his face drain.

"Where's Rebecca?" He asked, looking around. She sure wasn't in the bathroom. His fellow teammates had a very scared look as soon as he mentioned her name.

"She didn't tell us," Yi said, scared for his life. Artyr raised an eyebrow.

"Something wrong?" he asked. Then, he realized what had happened.

"Oh... shoot. You guys saw me last night, didn't you?" He asked, sheepishly as he shrunk before them.

"You watched some messed up stuff for sure, _cao ni ma_!" Yi roared at him as he pointed with an accusing finger.

"What were you thinking, mate?! You told us the Sith were evil!" Tyler roared at him as well. Tyler was usually calm and stubborn, but now he looked like he was freaking out.

"Even Ruby and Blake know about it!" Yi told him.

"they told Yang and Weiss, who told pretty much all of team JNPR!" Artyr's face paled.

"Guess who?!" Yang roared tackling him to the ground.

"Guys! I can explain!" Artyr roared as his arms were pushed against his back and up unnaturally. Artyr grunted in pain.

"Where is it?!" Ruby asked, panicking as she rummaged through his pockets.

"Don't! It's-" Artyr shouted as he tried to resist. They had to know the truth! Not all Sith were bad! He had been wrong! So wrong! Everyone back home had been so wrong about the Sith!

Just then, Ruby found it.

"What are you doing?! I haven't finished watching it!" Artyr shouted.

"This is for your own good, Art!" Yang told him.

"Right!" Weiss said, pressing down on him.

"Pyrrha! Jaune! Get this to Goodwitch! We'll talk to him until it's time for class! Get going! Now!" Ruby ordered.

"We're both team leaders, Rube!" Jaune told her flatly.

"Just get that thing as far away from him as possible!" Weiss barked at him with a glare.

"Right!" Jaune said and the two scurried out of there.

Artyr looked around with a bit of difficulty as he was pinned down by several bodies. Everyone was wearing their school uniforms. Yi and Tyler looked at him.

"Weiss, Yang: Stand him up and hold him down. We're going to have a long talk with our friend here about what's been going on with him the past week." Ruby ordered, angrily as she crossed her arms. Yang stood him up as Weiss casted a glyph under them as Yang stood back. He felt like he couldn't walk as the glyph appeared underneath him. Ruby walked up to him as he looked at her.

"Ruby, I can explain!" He said, defensively. She slapped him across the face, a loud crack was heard. He felt the sting of her hand across his flesh.

"Why?! You told us the Sith were bad! We heard what that guy said last night!" She roared at him as she pointed at him.

"Start talking: now." Yang said, angrily as she crossed her arms.

Artyr sighed and rubbed the back of his head. How was he going to tell them?

"Art: we're doing this not because we hate you." Yang said, looking at him with a worried expression.

"But because we've been noticing a lot of strange things you've been doing: A lot." Blake said, crossing her arms. They all showed him how worried they were.

"After we had dinner the night you came to Remnant, which you never told us how you got here, you said you had migraines as a kid. Not only that, but that night we heard you screaming." Yang said, looking at him.

"You also had that migraine after you looked at me," she said, pointing to herself.

"The next day, you looked at Pyrrha, you had a 'migraine' in front of her and she told us it looked like you saw the worst thing in the world." Ruby said.

"And you had another one when you met Weiss during the Initiation Ceremony." Yang added.

"You've been having migraines all month, plus the nightmares, and the fact that you called Yang 'Thor' during that one time in the second week of school, Tyler 'Loki', and I kid you not: you called me 'Baldur'." Ruby said.

"Not to mention that whenever it's a thunderstorm, you grab the nearest kid and you shout 'incoming' and cover the kid with your body like there's an artillery barrage coming." Blake added.

"Then, a week ago, after Goodwitch called you over, you barely spoke unless someone asked you in class." Ruby said.

"Then, three days ago: we all heard you screaming like you were being murdered! After that, you had a private conversation with Doctor Dorin, then Professor Goodwitch." Weiss said.

"All of a sudden, you took off into the night with both them _and_ Professor Ozpin and came back that night." Tyler pointed out.

"You spent the the whole morning in that bathroom, and you cut your braid." Tyler said, bringing out the cut piece of hair.

"Then, last night, you went to the library, lying to us: your team, by the way," Yi said, angrily.

"And you were watching that!" He said, pointing out the door.

"So: in all seriousness: _WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH YOU_?!" Yi roared the last sentence at him with furious anger.

Artyr sighed.

"Talk! Or we break your legs!" Nora said, angrily.

"Guys, when I came here, I thought I was the first and only Jedi here." Artyr started to explain. He then explained what had happened what happened last week. He told them about Qrow, Ozpin, and Mom's explanation.

"No wonder Dad and Professor Goodwitch acted so strange!" Yang realized.

"They knew who you were when you got here?!" Ruby said, exasperated.

"Why didn't they tell us about your Dad?! You're practically our cousin!" Ruby said., exasperated.

"Goodwitch is your mother?! Oh dear sweet Gods above no!" Nora cried in sorrow.

"There, there." Ren said, comforting her.

"I can't believe this! So, your family's enemy is an evil witch that's lived for thousands of years and Professor Ozpin's soul gets reincarnated into a new body every time that body dies! And there's a chick underneath our school in a comatose state who's supposed to unlock a chamber to get a magical artifact from the Gods themselves?!" Tyler said in disbelief. Artyr nodded, slowly.

"What about the thing that we saw? Where'd you get that?" Blake asked. He told them the source and what it was.

"Oh my God!" Yang, Ruby, and Yi said simultaneously.

"Holy shit!" Nora said incredulously along with Tyler

"Doctor Dorin's a Sith?! That's where you got that 'holocron' from?!" Ruby said, exasperated.

"Who else is she luring to the dark side?!" Yi said, horrified.

"Nononoono, She's actually a good kind of Sith. She hasn't killed anyone. Her master's master was Vectivus. Darth Vectivus. He was the guy that we saw! I saw the rest of his autobiography last night!" He told them, gesturing defensively.

"He's still bad!"

"I thought _all_ Sith were bad until I saw that holocron! He's not!" Artyr said, defending the man.

"He bribed people so that they wouldn't know about what happened in the mines!" Blake reminded him.

"That was a mistake he made, but it was so that the Jedi wouldn't get involved!" Artyr said, defending him. More than two weeks ago, he wouldn't be defending and excusing a Sith Lord's actions.

"Not only that, but the Jedi have had their own atrocities committed." He told them before explaining what happened five thousand years ago.

Everyone looked at him in shock and horror as he described what had happened.

"The older members of the Order don't tell the younger members about it because of the obvious shock that would cause," Artyr told them.

"Obviously!" Nora and Ren said simultaneously.

"Jinx! You owe me a soda!" Nora told Ren.

"I heard it from Masters Windu and Yoda talking about it," He told them.

"Why didn't you tell us this?!" Ruby asked, her eyes full of tears.

"I didn't want any of you to think that's the kind of person that I am," Artyr told her.

"Well, are you?!" Blake asked, shocked.

"No!" He retorted, defensively.

"Artyr..." Yang warned, crackling her knuckles.

"I swear to you: I never killed an innocent man! I've killed slavers, bandits, rebels, and, yes-mercenaries: but I never killed an innocent civilian! Most of the things I've killed were droids!" He told them in his defense.

They looked at him, unimpressed.

He sighed.

"When I'm in my other form, I do get crazy-yes." He admitted.

"But kill an innocent man, woman or child? No." He told them.

"I swear to the Force, I swear by my Mother, that to _my_ knowledge I _never_ killed any good person anywhere!" He said, raising his right hand.

"You didn't tell us everything about your Order, Art. What else aren't you telling us?" Blake asked, crossing her arms. He sighed.

He told them what Ozpin, Mom, and Uncle Qrow told him about his family history, what happened last week, three days ago, and what happened before he came to Remnant: the missions he went on with Hunter squad, what happened to them, and what happened to his battalion on Athys. Everyone listened attentively. He also told them of the visions, what he saw happening to Yang, Pyrrha, Weiss, Amber, Jaune, and others, as well as the Fall of Beacon.

"So, this 'Salem' is who your family's been fighting against... and you're the next person in line to stop her." Blake said, thinking.

"Wow! So you're like a 'chosen one'!" Nora said, happily.

"But, you're still a jerk because your Mom's Goodwitch!" She pointed at him as she yelled.

"So, how are you going to beat her? What kind of powers does she have?" Ren asked.

"Yeah, she sounds pretty serious if every Sym sent after her winds up missing... except for your Dad. Though I wonder if he ever found her." Yang said, thinking.

"I'm not even sure what she can do. I did see her controlling a Grimm that looked like an orb with knife-pointed tentacles." He told them.

"In fact, it's possible she knows I'm here." Artyr pointed out. Everyone else made a horrified look.

"Dude! She could come after us!" Yi said, horrified.

"What else does she have under her control?! Bloody ninjas?!" Tyler asked, gesturing his shock and horror.

"Not," Artyr said, raising a finger as he smiled.

"If I teach you all a few things," Artyr said, grinning as he leaned forward. He looked at Ruby.

"Ever wanted to learn those 'cool moves', Ruby?" He asked. She blinked as did Yang.

"Me?" She asked, pointing to herself.

"Actually:" He gestured to around the room.

"My offer extends to everyone in this room, including Pyrrha and Jaune," He said.

"You're saying you're going to teach us to use 'The Force' and lightsabers?" Blake asked, interested.

"No, sadly, I sense no force-sensitivity from any of you." Artyr said.

"Aw," Yang and Ruby dipped their heads in disappointment.

"But, I am going to teach you all how to wield a lightsaber." The ex-Jedi announced.

Everyone looked at him.

He smiled.

"She thinks there's going to be one lightsaber-wielder running around. I plan on making it _more_ , a lot _more_." Artyr told them.

"You're founding a new order," Blake realized. He nodded.

"The Jedi lied to me about my origins. The Sith aren't as bad as I realized." Artyr said, looking at them as he tilted his head while dippin git.

"So, you're founding a 'Gray Order'?" Weiss asked, interested and curious.

"Jedi go for the light side, Sith for the dark. Why not go a bit of gray?" He said, shrugging.

"What's in it for us?" Nora asked, warily as did Blake and Weiss. The others looked at him with interest and wariness, his secrets now revealed though what he sounded was interesting.

"You learn how to fight like a Jedi or a Sith, thereby surprising your enemies with your newfound ability and proficiency. You all get to be a part of something new, maybe even great. And: you all get to help me take down one of the worst people that's been walking this planet since ancient times." Artyr said, offering something that he really needed, something that they could do for and with him.

"So, I ask you all as both friends and classmates, despite my flaws, my lies, and everything: will you all join me?" He asked." He said, walking to the center of the room as he looked around. He stood in the center and extended his hand with the palm out.

"Either you all can use the weapons you have and whatever skills and semblances you have against the Grimm, along with Salem and whatever she throws at you, hoping to high heaven that you might make a hit." He said.

"Or, I can teach you all something new, something surprising. Something that can add to your skills, making you a lot more formidable." He offered. Before anyone can speak.

"I must warn you though, we don't have much time. In six months' time, maybe even a month or more: The Academy's going to be attacked. I'm going to need as many of you as I can. But, I can't teach everyone. Nor should you all speak of what was spoken here save among our three teams. Only invite people you can trust. Right now, we're all we can trust unless we learn new information." He warned.

"There will be pain, blood, and loss in the future. I'm hoping to lessen that," Artyr further added.

"So, guys? What'll it be?" He asked, looking at them all. He awaited their answer.

XXXX

The two leading members of Team JNPR walked down the halls.

"I feel that I'm carrying the spawn of evil," Jaune whispered.

"I have the thing, not you." Pyrrha hissed as they walked.

"Okay, sheesh! But, Ruby told us to get it to Professor Goodwitch. And I'm thinking Goodwitch will flip her bricks when she finds out." Jaune said loudly before Pyrrha shushed him further.

"Not a word, out loud about it." She warned with a glare that made Jaune shiver. The two continued walking past several other students.

Jaune groaned as did his stomach.

"I can't believe we skipped breakfast for this!" He moaned as he rubbed his stomach. The sun was rising in the sky outside. It looked like a beautiful day.

"So, what do you think they're going to do to Art?" He asked.

"I hope they give him the help he needs. It looks like he's been in some rough spots lately," She said as they walked.

"Y'know, it's funny... he had migraines around me back when we were coming here." Jaune said, thinking.

Pyrrha looked at him.

"You too?!" She asked as they stopped.

"Why didn't you say something?" She inquired.

"It didn't seem important at the time," Jaune said, shrugging. She sighed.

"I don't think they're migraines," She said, thinking. The day she met the Jedi from off-world, he had his 'habit' right in front of her and the way that he looked at her was as if he had seen the end of the world. She remembered seeing his face pale and his eyes widen.

"What if it's visions?" She suggested to him.

"What? You mean, like he's seeing the future?" Jaune asked.

"He knew something about me, something he doesn't want anybody else to know." She said, thinking. What was it?

"well, he had them around Yang, Ruby, and Weiss." Jaune pointed out.

"True," She said, nodding. Artyr had told them that there were cases of Force-sensitive mystics in his Order, usually called Consulars. Jedi could see into the future as well, but that gift was not for everyone. He had mentioned that back on his homeworld of Coruscant, it was like a dark cloud had descended upon the Temple, dampening everyone's gifts.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Jaune asked.

"I think he's homesick. He's far from home, away from his family and loved ones." She said. She couldn't help but think of what he had shown them about his girlfriend from that world... what was it called 'Kabino'? The romance he must have had with her must have been very scandalous if the Order would discover it. It made her daydream about being in love with a dashing, bumbling knight who didn't care whether or not she was fa-

"Uh, Pyrrha, you're acting really weird here." Jaune said, snapping her back into reality.

She blinked.

"Huh?"

"You had that very...weird look, like you were daydreaming." Jaune told her, a bit weirded out.

"Oh," She chuckled.

"Nothing," She said.

They arrived at Goodwitch's office. Pyrrha knocked on the door.

"Enter!" The older woman said. They walked in respectfully with Jaune being very quiet and looking a bit skittish, like a less fierce cat facing off against a much stronger opponent.

Goodwitch sat behind her desk. She looked up.

"Mr. Arc, Ms. Nikos." she said, standing up.

"How may I help you?" She asked. She eyed Jaune with suspicion.

"Ma'am, we've been noticing Artyr, Artyr Sym," Pyrrha said, clarifying the name. At his name, something flashed in her eyes, as if it was worry.

"He's been acting weird for a month," Jaune blurted.

"He gets these 'migraines' around me, Weiss from Team RWBY, Blake, Yang, and others. He's also been a bit quiet for the past week. Not only that, but-" Jaune said.

"He gets nightmares. His team complains that he's been getting nightmares for awhile and stays up real late, for several days in fact." Pyrrha added.

"He called Ruby 'Baldur' once," She said, counting with her fingers

"He called Tyler 'Loki', and Yang 'Thor'... and I swear, he referred to someone as 'Odin' once." Jaune said, thinking.

"I think he must've called Professor Ozpin that," Pyrrha told him.

"Oh, right." Jaune said, nodding. The middle-aged woman crossed her arms as they spoke. Worry clearly being shown on her face as she heard from them what was going on.

"What else?" She asked, worried.

"During thunderstorms, when lightning strikes, he grabs the nearest kid and tosses him to the ground and gets over them like there's an artillery barrage." Pyrrha told her. Her eyes widened.

"Then, after that screaming episode three days ago, he came back from wherever and cut his braid." Jaune said, pointing to his hair.

"His team became concerned and met up with Blake and Ruby and..." She paused to say the right word.

"They spied on him," Goodwitch said, bluntly. Pyrrha and Jaune nodded sheepishly.

"He went to the library and saw a recording from this," She said, bringing out the device. She looked at it. Her face scrunched in confusion and interest. She flicked her wand and brought the device to her hand. She looked at it.

"We heard it's voice activated," Pyrrha told her. Goodwitch looked at it, inspecting it. It was almost as if she recognized it.

"What was the recording that he saw?" She asked.

"We should've brought Ruby's scroll! She recorded the whole thing!" Jaune groaned.

"What 'whole thing'?" Goodwitch asked, her tone clearly angry. Jaune shrunk though Pyrrha stood straight.

"We think that it's possible that Artyr may have been going into some dark places. According to what was heard, he was listening to a recording made by a Sith Lord, one of Artyr's order's enemies." Pyrrha explained. At that, Goodwitch's face paled and her eyes widened. She dropped the holocron as she shook her head, blinking.

"Ma'am?" Pyrrha asked, stepping forward, concerned. Jaune looked at her. The disciplinarian stepped back and put a hand on her head, whispering something.

It sounded like 'My boy,' or something. Jaune and Pyrrha looked at eachother. She then stood straight up with a jolt. Her eyes turned to anger.

"Dorin," She spat, gritting her teeth.

"Head back to class, both of you." She said, angrily.

"Thank you for giving this to me," She said, some semblance of her authoritarian nature returning.

"But, I will handle this." She told them.

"Y-Yes, ma'am." Jaune said, going straight for the door. Pyrrha nodded.

"Weird," Pyrrha commented.

"She looked like she was going to kill someone!" Jaune commented as well, exasperated.

"Did you hear what she said after what we told her?" Pyrrha asked, looking at him with a thoughtful expression.

"Kind of, why?" He asked as they walked back to class.

"It sounds like she said 'my poor sweet boy'," She said, thinking.

Jaune's face paled.

"You don't honestly think...?" Jaune said, leaving the thought unfinished. Pyrrha looked up. There was something between Goodwitch and Artyr. It wasn't romance for sure.

XXXX

Dr. Dorin had been preparing for the day when she felt a presence in the force outside her door. It was fuming mad, but hiding it under a thin layer of concealment. Her eyes widened as she felt it. The sense was definitely familiar as it was born of her own daughter.

'Rebecca? Why is she so angry? What has-?' She wondered. Then, she realized.

"Artyr, you dumb piece of-" She muttered, angrily. Something had happened. She had sensed Artyr's curiosity and then a spike of fear. Most likely, he had been watching the holocron. Well, at least the Jedi had watched it. She paused. No, he was no longer a Jedi, after the betrayal that he had learned.

She sighed and prepared to meet whatever would come. She turned around and saw her granddaughter standing in the doorway of the infirmary with her school uniform on. She would've looked cute if not for the angry expression she wore.

"Grandmother," She spat.

"Rebecca, we need to talk." The Sith said, walking over to her.

"No shit 'we need to talk'!" Rebecca spat and stomped to meet her grandmother.


	28. Chapter 28: Catfight between Moms

Chapter 28

 _(A/N:Sorry for the wait, still working on that other story. But I've decided to complete this and yet another story! Hope you like it!)_

" _Why?!_ _Why didn't you tell me you were a Sith straight to my face?!"_ Rebecca roared at her grandmother. Her face was red hot. If she had the Force like her grandmother, she would choke the living shit out of her for what she did! You don't just keep something this frigging big away from your own flesh and blood!

The day outside was sunny and partially cloudy. But, this moment was more like a rainy day. If thunder struck, it would be at this time.

Grandma Arina sighed and shook her head. She couldn't believe that this day came so soon.

"Did you see the holocron?" She asked.

"Is that what that was that Artyr saw in the library?!" The younger woman asked, angrily as she shook her head.

"Honey, I realize that you are in shock and a lot of anger, but I can explain." The older woman started to explain.

"Explain how you've been corrupting him to the dark side! Explain how I am the spawn of evil!" Her granddaughter yelled back over the old woman's calm.

"You're not evil, honey. I went to the dark side because I was found by a Sith Lord. Not all Sith are bad, you should realize that." Grandma told her.

"So, that thing that Artyr had... that was a holocron. What is that?" Rebecca asked, crossing her arms.

"It's an object used by both Jedi and Sith to record their teachings to future generations as well as whatever knowledge they have. What Artyr has is a holocron from a Sith Lord named Vectivus. He was the master of my old master, Barthon." Arina explained.

'Was 'Arina' your Sith name?" Rebecca asked. Arina sighed.

"I chose 'Vida' as my name: Darth Vida." She said, turning away from her granddaughter.

"Honey, you have to understand: both the Jedi and the Sith have been at eachother's throats for more than five thousand to six thousand years!" She said, looking at her granddaughter.

"The Jedi accuse us of being monsters, when in fact, they're nothing more than anti-life nihilist monks!" Arina said, her anger showing.

"Has Artyr told you about what the Jedi did to our people in the past? The Sith Holocaust?" Grandma told her. Rebecca tilted her head.

"I see he still doesn't like to talk about it as no Jedi ever wants to. I'm not surprised. Who wants to tarnish the image of a light-filled order?" Grandma scoffed.

"Five thousand years ago, after the empire our order ruled collapsed and we were pretty much in decline, the Republic, the Jedi's home nation, attacked us without warning. They slaughtered whole cities' worth of people on every planet that had a Sith population." She told her.

Rebecca at first showed shock at what she had just been told, then it turned to anger.

"That still doesn't disguise the fact that you and my team leader didn't tell me what I was!" She barked at her.

"I'll talk with Art about that bit later," She added, pointing out the door.

"Right now, my friends are giving him a long conversation on what the hell's been up with him." The girl told her elder.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, wouldn't you 'nana'?" Rebecca asked, crossing her arms.

Arina sighed.

"I do," She told her.

"When he came here, the headmaster told me that a member of the faculty requested a DNA test on Artyr." She confessed.

"I did the test and it came back a week ago:" She told her.

"I found out that Artyr is Glynda Goodwitch's biological son. Not only that, but I know for a fact what Artyr Sym really is." She said, her head dipping at the last part.

Rebecca stepped back.

"Mrs. Goodwitch...having a kid? With a Jedi?" She said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"It's true," She told her, nodding.

"Artyr comes from a long line of Jedi, going back to the foundation of the Order itself." She began.

"Among the Jedi, there are bloodlines that have gone back generations. Artyr, to my knowledge, has the only one with a line going back to either Tython or even Ocktoo, the original Jedi homeworlds." She continued.

"In each crisis, there has always been a Sym in the Order. Be it the Great Schism that founded my Order, or to the current Clone Wars in our home galaxy." she said. Rebecca frowned at the words 'Clone Wars'.

"They're a feared and hated name amongst us, both Sith and the Mandalorians." She told her. Rebecca's face twisted into confusion on the word 'Mandalorians'.

"The Mandalorians are a race of warriors that were bent on galactic domination. In the old days, war was literally their god. Nowadays, they're mostly peaceful, but they were a force to be reckoned with, going against the Jedi." She told her.

"I can tell you about how just two Jedi, two Syms, to be exact." She said.

"massacred an entire Sith Army on Alderaan by themselves as they held the line, allowing their Republic countrymen time to regroup." She said, her voice shaking. Her eyes became glossy as she recalled the horrific memory.

"I can tell you the role that they played in Naga Sadow and Volkorion's deaths," She added.

"They are something to be feared, Rebecca." She said, looking at her in the eyes.

"The Jedi have been keeping it a secret from their people for who-knows-how-long." She added.

"They're the most brutal enforcers of 'justice' the galaxy has ever known... and we don't even know what race they're of." She told her. She sighed.

"In my day, it was Aogust Sym back then, but I heard before I came here to Remnant that he had disappeared out in the Outer Rim, a frontier section of the galaxy we come from." Arina explained as she paced. Rebecca was silent, listening to her grandmother.

The memory of Artyr turning in front of his own team was still in her head. He had looked so powerful and angry at Tyler as he held him up against the wall.

"What planet are you from?" She asked, looking at her grandmother.

"I never knew my parents, sadly. Your great-grandparents were killed by gangbangers when I was still a baby, so I was raised in an orphanage on Corellia." She said.

"Back then, I was nothing more than just a street kid," She said, shrugging.

"Everyone treated me like crap, but I had one advantage:" she said, looking at her descendant.

"I was Force-sensitive, though I didn't know it." She said.

"My Master, Darth Tiros, found me and brought me up in the ways of the Sith... or at least, the way that he had been taught by the Sith." She said, her shoulders slumped.

"I did learn lightsaber combat from him as for 'self-defense' use only," She admitted.

"But, I must admit, I had always... felt compassionate for those suffering during our travels together." She said.

"We had to make sure we stayed in the shadows, never attracting the attention of the Jedi or else they would finish off their feud with us." She said.

"I started delving into medicine, along with what I knew of Sith alchemy, such as how to make people better, cure diseases even." She said.

"Albeit," She sighed at a bad memory.

"Some of the results had been catastrophic. People went insane because I did the technique wrong or blabbed to someone that a 'witch' had cured them." She chuckled as she shook her head.

"Ultimately, it was those events that led the Jedi to our doorstep." She said.

"We didn't know how they found us, but we knew it had to be something to do with what I did." She admitted, humbly.

"When they came to our home base, we took as much knowledge as we could with us and hightailed it. During the escape, a Jedi starfighter got lucky and shot my hyperdrive just as it was activating, making it malfunction. I found myself in orbit above this world and I crash-landed near a village far east of Vale." She said, recounting her tale.

"After I crashed, I was found by Professor Ozpin, when he still worked in the field." The old woman narrated.

"He took me to the village for me to heal and noticed my belongings and the robes I wore then. He knew what I was then and there as he had been raised by the Syms in his youth." She said.

Rebecca blinked.

"That's... insane. He didn't treat Artyr like family. And I don't see him wielding a lightsaber."

Arina laughed.

"He doesn't show it often, but when he does, it's a sight to see. According to him, he says that he was trained by the first Sym that became a Jedi." She told her. Rebecca tilted her head in confusion.

"The Jedi are thousands of years old. The fact that he told me made me wonder just how old the man is. Considering he looks a bit around middle age." She told him.

"We would spar as I healed from my wounds. Of course, we'd speak seeing as how I was the first Sith he had seen in his life. All he had to go on were stories from his adopted family." She said.

"Y'see, the Syms have been coming here for a long-ass time. How long? Back to wherever and whenever the old man came from. In fact, where I come from, both Jedi and Sith know that the Syms have a tendency to disappear: to where we never knew." She said. It looked like she was holding something back.

"No secrets, not even from your family." Rebecca warned. Her grandmother turned her head to look away from her, as if she was something awful.

"I'm afraid I have to," She told her flatly.

"No," Rebecca stated flatly.

"Answers. Now." She said. There was a long period of silence between the two. The Grandmother and the granddaughter both looked at eachother unblinkingly until the old woman blinked and gave in.

"After I fell in love with your grandfather in that village, a woman came to me the night I learned that I was with child." She said, sighing.

"She made a number of outrageous claims," She said, shaking her head.

"She looked like an old Sith, a true Sith Lady, in fact." She said, shuddering.

"She claimed that she had known the first Sith Lord, Ajunta Pall, and had promptly gone to suceeding Sith Lords to learn their ways, while she herself was not Force-Sensitive. Somehow she learned whom I was and had come to me, outside of your grandfather's parents' house in the dark." She said, remembering.

Rebecca tilted her head.

"She offered me a place among her group. I refused as I could tell what she wanted. She had asked me whom my master was, and whom his master, and his master, and his master before him were. She knew neither the two before me, but she did know the one before Vectivus, the Sith whose holocron I gave to Artyr." Arina said.

"You're saying that there's two people on Remnant who had contact with both Jedi and Sith?" Her granddaughter asked, incredulously.

"I never told your grandfather about it as I knew he would be worried for our lives." Arina admitted.

Rebecca shook her head.

"Did she say what would happen to you if you refused?" She asked, slowly.

"No. She said that since our Order had treated her well in the past, she would do me a courtesy and leave me and my descendants alone... provided that they did not interfere in her plans." She added the last part with distaste as she recalled the bargain the two had made that night.

"Now, I'm afraid that promise has been broken twice on my family's part. A motive I suspect which was in your father's death." Arina said.

"This woman... killed Dad?" Rebecca said in anger and shock.

All those years of being without her father's guidance, of her grandmother lying to her origins... because of a woman trained by her grandmother's own people?!

"Not personally, no." Arina said, angrily. She sighed.

"Honey, I warned your father about becoming a huntsman as I wanted nothing bad to happen to him. After he passed, all three of you kids wanted to follow in his footsteps." The old woman said. She shook her head as she looked down.

"There's nothing I can do to prevent any of you from doing so, save telling you this truth." She admitted, looking up.

"when Artyr came, I knew what he was. I warned him to stay away from you girls and after you were assigned to the same team, I told him that he should keep his form inside of himself and to not hurt either of you." She confessed.

"The second day of school, after you told me he changed in front of you, I gave him the holocron for him to realize that not all of us Sith are bad. In fact, all we ever wanted was to be more human." Arina continued.

"That's why the Sith and the Jedi fight: One side believes we should be emotionless, nihilistic robots, the other believes we should be more free with our emotions..."

"Well, it's a damn shame that you kept a big-ass secret from your family!" Rebecca shouted at her.

"Technically, your father, uncles and aunts know." Arina said, matter-of-fact. That was when all hell broke loose as Arina launched herself at her own grandmother.

"YOU CONNIVING BITCH!" She roared only for the old woman to duck and she fell flat on her face on the cold tiled floor.

"For God's sake, Rebecca! Control yourself! I was trying to protect you all from what would happen!" She said, rapidly as her granddaughter got up.

"You lied to me, _you bitch_!" Rebecca yelled at her.

"I'm your grandmother!" She roared.

"You're dead to me!" The younger girl roared back. Arina looked at her stunned and blinked.

"I looked up to you and you betrayed me! I'm the spawn of goddamned evil!" She continued.

"Just look at the holocron and my point will be made. That's all I'm saying." Arina said, fuming as she raised her hands in her defense.

"I didn't want any of you to get hurt," She told her granddaughter like a mother to her daughter.

"I wanted you all to be safe in knowing that you had normal lives, compared to mine. That's all I ever wanted for you kids!" Rebecca said, angrily her yellow eyes glaring at her. That was the same look that made Uncle Matt piss his pants every time it happened.

"Not only that, but just so you know, Artyr's father came by, the lousy prick!" She spat.

"He dropped off his son's girlfriend, who was so distraught that she might never see him again that she took a sample of his blood and injected it into herself. She's going from alien to human and not only that, but it turns out that I'm not the only one that lied to him." Arina said, angrily. Rebecca blinked at what she was saying as she shook her head.

"Artyr's girlfriend? She's here?!" She said in shock.

"His father thought it would be a great idea to leave her at a classmate of yours's house," Arina said, nonchalantly.

"She changed within the span of who knows how. Not only that, but she said that the Jedi Council practically lied to his face about his family's history with their order." Arina told her bluntly.

"So, I'm not the only one with problems." She concluded. Rebecca was silent, her eyes moved as she thought.

"She's recovering, but I believe that she is still evolving further into a sort of human form," Arina said as the girl thought.

"I also hear that he plans on starting a new order," Arina told her. Rebecca blinked.

"A new order?!" She said, surprised and confused.

"After he learned that his own council not only knew of his heritage but also lied to his face about it, he left the order. Ozpin filled me in on his plans due to a discussion that he, his mother, Ozpin, and I believe that drunkard that's also an uncle to two of your classmates here." The old woman said. Rebecca's jaw dropped. So, _that's_ why he'd been so angry when he came back home and locked himself in the bathroom!

Just then the door to the infirmary flew off its hinges and flew over their heads and crashed out of the window as both of the women ducked and covered their heads. The granddaughter and grandmother turned to see a very pissed Glynda Goodwitch gripping her wand tightly as she walked in.

Rebecca then saw what she held in her left hand. She held the same object that Artyr had last night!

"Miss Winden, I suggest you leave. RIGHT. NOW." Professor Goodwitch said, emphasizing the last two words through her teeth. Winden simply stared at her.

"NOW!" Goodwitch roared. Winden scurried away.

If anything, her face made Rebecca want to cower in fear. Arina stood up, facing her opponent.

"I assume this is about your son, Glynda." Arina said to her.

"Damn straight!" Glynda said, raising the holocron.

"I know what this damn thing is used for! Mind telling me what possesed you to give this to my son?!"

"I was teaching him the better values of tolerance and diversity," Arina told her. Glynda tossed it at her, only for it to be caught and gently set down on a desk.

"Now, now. Let's not fight. I'd rather not to explain to your son why you're going to have a torn dress and some scars." Arina said, her eyes narrowed into slits as her opponent did likewise.

 _"You're dead, bitch."_ Glynda threatened, about to raise her wand when the Sith Lady shot her hand forward, force-pushing her back. The witch raised her wand as she was pushed into the wall, she sent a red bolt against her opponent right before dropping to the ground onto her feet as her enemy slammed into the spot where she once was, cracking it. The red bolt, neither of them noticed, had gone out the window and exploded outside the school.

The students outside watched in a mixture of fascination and horror as their head disciplinarian and their school doctor fought. They didn't even notice their headmaster until both of them were about to go to physical blows with their fists as they closed in upon each other. A single 'ahem' shattered the fight immediately as they recognized that voice anywhere. Their faces inches from each other as Arina's fist was about to strike it while her other hand held Glynda's hand holding the wand. Both faces turned, ashen pale now, towards their boss.

He stood there, unamused with his cane in hand.

"What." Ozpin started to say.

"In all the gods' names is going on?" He asked, flatly. The two women looked at eachother and straightened themselves as the students watched, embarrassed.

"We had a very heated argument about-" Arina started to lie-

"About why she gave my son a certain object that is best left unneeded!" Glynda said for her. Ozpin made a 'hmm' sound.

"Wait right here," Ozpin said and then walked right into the infirmary. Both women turned to eachother with a 'Oh crap' look on their faces.

"Think he's going to flip bricks?" Arina asked out of the corner of her mouth.

"I saw him do that several times and it never ended well," Glynda whispered back.

XXX

Ozpin walked towards the black-reddish pyramid object on the table. He picked it up with one hand and inspect it. He recalled seeing it in the ship that crash-landed near him all those years ago when he first met her.

"Interesting that we should meet again," he said, smiling. He recalled seeing objects before.

"Activate," he ordered. The holocron glowed and immediately a figure popped up.

"Hello," The hooded human male greeted. He looked aged and thin as well as wiry.

"I am Darth Vivectus, Lord of the Sith," The Sith Lord greeted him. Ozpin frowned. Arina had been very adamant and protective of this particular holocron among the rest when she was wounded, hoarding them in a large bag as she was being treated by the village doctor.

"What are your teachings?" Ozpin asked.

"I teach merely a code that I live by as well as my life story and the force power that I have created which I would like to name 'Force-phantom'. Vivectus answered.

"My moral code was based on my business practices before I became a Sith after I discovered my Force-sensitivity during a rather tragic series of events on a mining colony I ran in a now-forgotten system in Republic space." Vivectus added.

"The Force-power I created involves, sadly, the use of binding the life-force of a living being to that of yourself, allowing you create a 'phantom' that you can send anywhere in place of yourself. Should such phantom be 'killed', the life force of that person would die and thus that person too would die save that of yourself." Vivectus answered. Ozpin blinked.

"Are you absolutely insane?" He asked to it, not expecting an answer.

"No, I don't believe I was in life, though I pretty much came close to it." Vivectus's hologram answered flatly with a smile. Ozpin blinked. How in the name of the Brother Gods did that happen? There was no way he cou- Ozpin sighed.

"Deactivate," Ozpin said. He'd review it for later. Now, he was going to have to deal with Glynda and Arina. The holocron powered down and he put it in his pocket. He walked outside to the worried women and told them flatly.

"In my office, now." he told them. There was going to be a bit of a talk between the three of them.

XXXX

Lira Su looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair had grown a bit since she arrived a few days ago. Artyr had been heartbroken to learn that the Council ordered even her not to reveal his true parentage. She had done what little study she could on Artyr's biological father: Aogust Sym. He had been a notable Jedi in his day, the padawan of Master Yoda himself, it appeared. However, why they wouldn't reveal to Artyr whom he was was also a mystery to her.

Aogust Sym had disappeared on a mission to the Outer Rim and that was the last thing anyone saw. All inquiries and searches turned up nothing but his now-scrapped personal ship. It was like he had dropped off the face of the galaxy.

It was all so hard to believe: She was in another dimension... in a world where magic, not like the Force, actually existed... with monsters, and humans with animalistic traits such as ears, tails, wings, and claws... it was all so very strange and odd.

She sighed as she looked at her bluish-green eyes. She was not so fortunate. One tinge of green in her eyes would get her killed back home. Best not freak Taiyang Xiao Long, her temporary guardian, out about that tidbit of Kaminoan society. Still, she had to admit, she had a blend of both human and alien traits. She was still taller than Artyr at least, making it all the more easier to kiss him with her now-shortened neck. Her eyes were more humanas was her body, but she still had the long-thin body of a Kaminoan with added human traits.

Her nose was now half-human and half-Kaminoan as it had the original design of a Kaminoan nose, but now it had nostrils not connected to her mouth (a literal gift from Heaven as she hated it when she had nose drips that went right into her mouth at times) and more pronounced. Her hair was a mixture of blonde and chestnut brown... funny as Taiyang thought it looked like she dyed her hair. It was still short, uncomfortably short. She would be happier when it was longer.

She also looked at her new outfit that she would wear, borrowing clothes that Taiyang's oldest daughter wore at times: a cream-colored top with cargo pants that obviously didn't reach down to ankles and in She came out. Taiyang looked at her from the dining room. He frowned.

"We'll get you some new clothes," He told her. She nodded.

"Yes, sir." She said, respectively.

She walked in where she found several bowls of soup, rice, and some kind of meat that was in chunks were on the table with spoons and chopsticks. She blinked.

"So, we're going to test your digestive system, per Doctor Dorin's orders." Taiyang announced. Sitting across the table was the strange and drunk Qrow, leaning back in a chair. He looked at Taiyang.

"Seriously? Yang didn't have bigger clothes or even a big dress you accidentally gave her?" Qrow asked, scoffing. The blonde-haired human glared at the other human.

"Qrow, quit it. She's Artyr's girlfriend and that's all I could do."

"It's fine, really." Lira said to them. The two nodded.

"Mind if we talk while you test?" Qrow asked, bringing out his flask.

"About?" The half-Kaminoan asked as she sat down.

"Yourself and your people," Qrow asked.

"I don't know, Qrow." Taiyang said, hesitant as he didn't want to bring back any painful memories.

"Well, Artyr's technicially kind of family to both of us and Oz," Qrow said, shaking his flask lightly.

"Not around her, Qrow." Taiyang told him. Qrow sighed and put it back, reluctantly.

"So, which do you want to try first?" Taiyang asked, happily as he sat down. She started to looked at the soup. It was yellowish-tan with some kind of noodles in it.

"What's this?" She asked.

"Chicken noodle soup, without the chicken,"

"What's a 'Chicken'?" She asked, confused. The two men blinked.

"You don't know what a 'chicken' is?" Qrow asked with a dumb-founded expression.

"Well, she _is_ from another galaxy," Taiyang reminded him.

"A chicken is a small bird that lays eggs and provides meat. It goes 'cluck-cluck'..." Qrow explained, nonchalantly as he flapped his arms like a chicken.

"Also a handy insult to people if you think they're cowards," Qrow told her happily.

"Wouldn't advise it, though." Taiyang added, worried.

"That's rice, I know as we have rice throughout the galaxy and it comes in varieties..." Lira said, pointing to the rice and then paused the white meat.

"Is that... 'chicken'?" She asked. Taiyang nodded. She took a sniff of each and found it... enticing. She never had cuisine from off of Kamino, but she did share rations with Artyr at times as they talked in person. She found the rations distasteful, but necessary as a sacrifice for her love. She also usually ate Kaminoan seafood.

She took the chopsticks, after Taiyang instructed her on the proper way, and picked up a piece of chicken and tossed it into her mouth. She tasted it. Bland...juicy... but not bad.

"So, how long have you and Artyr been-" Qrow started to ask, making her nearly choke as Taiyang scolded Qrow.


	29. Chapter 29: Make Up and Flashback

**Chapter 29**

 **(A/N: Let me know how this chapter feels to you all! I'm interested in what you think about the flashback. And tell me how to improve it or if I should take it out)**

Ozpin sat down behind his desk at Beacon Tower and looked at the two women in front of them. They had no scars per se, but their hair was out of place and there was a bit of tearing on Goodwitch's cape. They stood as if they were children about to be scolded by their father. The headmaster put the holocron on the desk.

Outside, the birds were chirping as the clouds moved harmlessly through the blue sky. The sun was still rising to its zenith and the occasional sound of a bullhead was heard.

"What is this doing here, Arina?" Ozpin asked her, gesturing to the device.

"I have had it with me for a long time. I decided to keep it with me as Vectivus may have had a thing or two to say to someone like me in case of matters of say-medicine or alchemy." Arina answered formally. Ozpin made a 'hmm'.

"And are you aware of my origins as well?" He asked her.

"I remember you telling me that you were raised by the first Sym that came to this world, yes." Arina said, nodding. Ozpin nodded as Goodwitch looked at her.

"The Sith knew about the Syms... didn't they? Why they come here?" She asked, worried. Arina scoffed and looked at her fellow faculty member.

"Don't be ridiculous! The Sith never knew about Remnant, at least not the Sith that I knew." The Sith Doctor told her flatly.

"Activate," Ozpin said. Immediately, the hologram of Darth Vectivus appeared.

"Explain whom you are and your lifestory, Dark Lord of the Sith." Ozpin said, leaning forward as the hologram faced him. The two women looked at the hologram with different expressions.

Glynda frowned and looked worried while Arina smiled.

They then listened to Vectivus's lifestory. Glynda gasped as she heard all the details of the former businessman's immoral deeds in covering up the incident in the asteroid mining colony he worked at and how he joined the Sith. But she was surprised at what he said when he told the audience that he didn't kill his master and swear that he killed no one despite bribing and falsifying records.

The man then talked about how he dedicated his life to the pursuit of knowledge and the power that he created.

"By the Gods! That's insane!" Glynda shouted in disbelief.

"I repeat: I recommend that the Force-power should be used as a punishment for enemies and little else." Vectivus told her as if he had heard what she said. Glynda blinked as Arina smirked.

"Sometimes, recorders can somehow sense the responses or try to answer the questions or outbursts as best as I can... as if they know what we'll say." Arina smiled.

Then, they saw the most adorable thing that could happen... and yet unexpected. They watched as a little boy walked in and the grandfather scolded him before he could swear and then sent him off.

"I thought the Sith rarely had families?" Glynda asked. Arina looked at her.

"I'm surprised that Aogust told you about that. There was a Darth Malgus, I think... though" She sighed at the recollection.

"he killed his wife I believe, I know not why." She said.

"Not all sith were bad, though or like Malgus." She added.

"A bunch were actually trying to legitimately order things for good in the old Sith Empire," The Sith said.

"Though, it would seem their good deeds were for naught as some were executed others died in obscurity, I think." She added, sadly.

Ozpin didn't listen as he looked solemn as he saw the boy and muttered something under his breath. Glynda swore she saw tears come out of his eye as if he remembered something. She frowned inwardly.

Then, they watched as the hologram of Vectivus looked back at them and speak solemnly about his fate and what else. The program froze.

Arina looked at Glynda.

"My Master was Vectivus's apprentice. Thanks to the Jedi that chased me, he must've had another apprentice." She explained, sadly.

"However, I'm not sure about this 'Clone War' or 'Darth Tyrannus' that Ozpin told me that Artyr talked about with Taiyang." She said, frowning.

"I don't even know how long time has passed back home. Could've been years, decades, even centuries." She commented.

"Artyr said that there had been a yellow-eyed Sith driving a Bullhead the night he arrived," Glynda said, wondering about her answer.

"Impossible, I'm the only Sith here and I have Force-powers. The only one I sense with Force powers is Artyr himself and no one else." Arina said, scoffing.

"He should also k-"

"We all told him that a lot of people have yellow eyes," Glynda told him.

"Good," Arina said, nodding.

"Now then: this matter was about your feud." Ozpin said. The two women resumed their submissive positions of compliance.

"Arina: Your side?" Ozpin said, as though he were a king as he leaned forward.

"Artyr was a typical Jedi: seeing things in black and white, following the anti-life teachings of his Order to a 'T'." Arina said, beginning her side of the story. She told the others about how Artyr had threatened her in Mandalorian and her response.

Glynda glared at the Sith.

"As if he would so much as touch your grandaughters!" She scoffed.

"Your son scared my granddaughter when he transformed as he threatened his teammate as soon as he became insubordinate." Arina told Glynda flatly. Glynda blinked.

"Which one?"

"Tyler Doyle," She told the school disciplinarian. Glynda fumed as she described the incident.

"Artyr must've had some kind of flashback, calling him 'Loki'..." she sighed as she shook her head. Artyr had spoken of losing several units of soldiers during the war back in his home dimension. 'Loki' must've been some soldier he fought alongside.

"Afterwards, he must've dispensed some discipline, I think. But, he also must've lost control in the process." She sighed, shaking her head again.

"Aogust had the same problem dealing with some of the fights between Team STRQ," Glynda remembered.

"I remember the talks we had about that, yes." Ozpin recalled.

"But, he still scared my granddaughter and Tyler." Arina reminded her.

"I'll lecture him about it," Glynda said and then her eyes became slits as she smiled.

"You just make sure your granddaughter doesn't go running around, spouting Force-lightening!" The mother of the alien-human hybrid retorted. Before Arina could open her mouth, Ozpin cleared his throat and both women turned to him.

"I believe you two should apologize to eachother. I want no more fighting between you two." Ozpin began. He turned to Glynda.

"Your son is sixteen years old and has known no other life than that of self-sacrifice and war. You ought to be a better example to him and a pillar of support for him as he's struggled very much in the past month, especially after learning the truth about himself." Ozpin told her like a father telling his daughter how to raise her child. Glynda sighed. . He then turned to Arina.

"And your granddaughter, I believe, deserves a much better role model than what happened under an hour ago. I know your granddaughter learned about her Sith heritage. And I would rather have you reassure her that there is no such possibility of her using the Force as clearly the mixed bloodlines of both yourself and that of your husband have apparently diluted that chance to a very nonexistent point, but clearly it worked well for Glynda and her ex-husband." Ozpin told Arina. The Sith sighed.

"Now: apologize both of you." Ozpin said. The two women turned to eachother. They stared at eachother for about five minutes before shaking hands.

"I'm sorry for confronting you," Glynda told her.

"I'm scared of what my son can do as I saw what his father did during times of great distress." She told Arina. Arina nodded in response, her face a stony expression.

"I understand: I lost my son and have had to support my granddaughters. I would rather have them follow a more peaceful path than that of a huntress, honestly. Especially not that of a Sith." Arina told Glynda as well.

"Then, we are agreed that no more fighting shall be done?" Ozpin asked.

"Yes," The two women answered, honestly.

"Now, then: get back to your posts. We'll discuss property damages at the next faculty meeting. Also, bear in mind: Artyr's starting his 'after-school club' soon." Ozpin told them. Glynda nodded.

"I must assume that I'm going to be a key instructor as Artyr is-" Arina stopped speaking and corrected herself.

"-Was a padawan of the Jedi and therefore not that well-learned." She said. Ozpin shrugged.

"Perhaps," He said, thoughtfully nodding. Arina looked at him curious.

"We'll see," He said. He then gestured for them to leave.

After they left, he spoke to the holocron.

"Tell me about the Sym family," Ozpin said. Vectivus's image turned into a middle-aged version of himself.

"Very, very few Jedi can claim this as pride is considered a terrible emotion to be had amongst them, but there are bloodlines that go back centuries, perhaps millennia in the Order." Vectivus began.

"One such family is the Sym family," He continued.

"Records are very scarce in the time of this recording, but from what little that the Sith were able to gleam from what little records we have from Ajunta Pall, the first Sith Lord and founder of the first Sith Empire following the Century-Long Darkness," At Ajunta Pall's name, Ozpin shifted forward, interested. He heard that name before.

"The Sym family goes back to possibly even the very founding of the Jedi Order itself on its lost homeworld." He said.

"The first Sym known, but of which we have no image: is that of Abram Sym, the first of his people to join the Order at its founding all those centuries ago." Vectivus said.

"Sadly, we have no images of what he looked like, but the records we do have from Ajunta Pall's journal indicate that he remembers his lessons on him as 'a very tall and brawny alien of unknown origin. His skin thick and rough like that of a Krayt Dragon's scales and his eyes are completely yellow like that of the sun. His skin being that of tree-bark brown.'" Vectivus said, quoting.

"However, we have no record of him ever so much as finding a wife as the Order's standards were still developing. But the Code was in use back then." Vectivus affirmed.

"We do not know Adam Sym's actions but we do know that he was a very powerful and respected Jedi before he disappeared from existence." Vectivus frowned.

"The one to come after him was Abel Sym, apparently a hybrid of human and the unknown species that Adam Sym was a part of. Genetic testing from the last Sith Empire reveal that the Sym family's genetics are greatly advanced for our time: capable of withstanding the most deadliest diseases known to the galaxy, even the Rakhghoul Plague of Taris could not stand against it, if what is heard is true." Vectivus said.

"A common motif is that in every crisis in the Order and the Republic, there has often been a Sym involved, or perhaps more. At times, there were twins. But all of them disappear either during the conflict or at its end. Only for a new generation to appear at the next crisis. There have been so many Syms that they number approximately the entire thousand generations of the Jedi order itself." The man said. Ozpin frowned as he folded his hands. Artyr was taken in the middle of the Clone Wars.

"Notable Syms also include Cassius Sym, former padawan to Jedi Master Bastilla Shan and the founding matriarch of the Shan bloodline as well as a member of Revan the Balanced's party during the Jedi Civil War. Its descendants as of now to the present time are unknown, sadly." The Sith said, showing a hologram of a smiling man with short brown hair as he held a lightsaber in one hand and a blaster in the other alongside a blue female teenage alien with a beautiful smile, a wookiee, a bearded and mustached man with twin blaster pistols, a thirty-something woman with black hair that had a disapproving look, a robot that was up to their waist, a bulky man with white skin and white hair that had a very angry look about him as he wielded a minigun.. or something like it, a cat-looking alien and finally a brown-haired, mustached and bearded man with a smile as he stood at the front of the group with arms crossed as he held a lightsaber.

"Cassius Sym is also known as 'Ball-kicker' as he allegedly force-kicked the gonads of certain male opponents in battle including but not limited to the notorious Calo Nord, a wookie that was a tyrant to his tribe, and possibly even Darth Malaak as well." Vevictus said. He looked at his audience as Ozpin laughed aloud with tears in his eyes.

"I'm pretty sure that last one is not possible, as I have read Malaak's last words that were recorded. And they didn't infer or refer to anything involving his gonads." Vevictus said, dead-panning.

"Others include his son Marcus Sym, whom is also half-Twilek due to the possible relationship between Cassius and a fellow follower of Revan, Mission Vao." The man said.

"There was also that of Jedi Master Matthew Sym, whom fought during the Sack of Coruscant and afterwards helped the Outlander save the galaxy from the tyranny of the Eternal Empire by Emperor/Darth Valkorion." Vivectus said, showing a mocha-colored man with a bald head that had a serious look as he stood next to a soldier in white armor that was similar to Artyr's own Clone Commando armor as the two fought in battle.

"There was also Gaius Sym whom fought during the last stand of my ancestors on Korriban five centuries ago. He tried to search for Darth Bane, if rumor is to be believed, but sadly, also disappeared. All of the Syms I previously mentioned disappeared, their fates unknown but probably dead. But somehow, children of theirs are produced." Vectivus said, thinkin.

"The current theory is that each Sym returns to his people's original homeworld, the location and name of which are unknown. However," Vectivus paused.

"There is another matter I have heard about, more recently in fact from my late master, whom spoke with his master about seeing someone very odd. Someone whom may have a connection to the Sym family." Vectivus said. Ozpin leaned forward, his eyes on the hologram as the glow of it illuminated his face.

 _'No, it can't be. There's no way that could've happened.'_ Ozpin thought to himself, shaking his head. He felt a pit in his stomach grow as the man continued.

"Allegedly, my master had met this woman before he died due to the Sith tradition of the Rule of Two. The woman I've heard about is described to have eyes as black as midnight with torturous red pupils. Her hair is ashen-pale and her hair is also white." Vectivus said, as though quoting a book.

Ozpin's face paled and he shook his head.

"No, no, no no." He kept saying to himself as he tried to deny it. There was no way! Dad had told him that the only beings that could travel between dimensions were people like himself and even higher-leveled beings. How in the Force did _she,_ of all people learn how to do such a thing?! Was this why each Sym disappeared off of the face of Remnant?! Was this why so many people he loved and cared about vanished?! Aogust was still alive, yes. But he hadn't met the others in a long time.

"She claimed to have been an associate of our Order for a long time, but I never found any records of her. I never met her but my old master did speak of her with awe and respect as she mentioned that she had trained under various Sith Lords... even Ajunta Pall himself." Vectivus said with a bit of fascination. At this, Ozpin slammed both of his hands on his desk and swiped everything off it in anger as he roared an angry roar.

"YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME!" He roared in anger as he clutched his head.

"WHY?! WHY GODS WHY?!" He roared at the ceiling. He breathed heavily as he shook his head. His thoughts returned to a memory long ago.

 _It was so long ago, before the moon was shattered and before the great cataclysm that destroyed humanity, only for it to rise again centuries later. It was the time in which he had been a great and noble wizard and ruler of a vast empire stretching across the world._

 _The sun dawned in the sky as he met a hooded bulky figure that towered over him in the hallway of his mansion. The alien looked down at him with a fatherly look._

 _"My son," The alien said, his face hooded, his green eyes looked down at him as Ozpin, then known as Ozma, looked back at him. They had a much-needed hug as the being crouched and hugged his son. They embraced for five minutes before letting go._

 _"I see that things have gone well since we last met." His father said, his voice deep and rumbling like rocks being moved during a landslide. He looked around._

 _"You have united all the world?" He asked the man._

 _"I have done what I always dreamed to do, Father." Ozma said, bowing his head in respect as the light shone through the windows. Surrounding them were guards._

 _"I must ask something of you, Father." The adopted son said as the two walked. They stopped before the stairs leading to the upper rooms._

 _"And that is?" His adopted father asked, looking at him._

 _"Can you take me with you on your journeys?" Ozma asked, interested._

 _"After my daughters have grown up and gone their own way," Ozma added. The alien looked at him in shock at the words 'daughters'._

 _"I'm sorry you had to learn the hard way, father." Ozma said, grimacing. His brown face looking apologetic as he shrinked._

 _"My love, whom is this?" A woman's voice asked from behind Ozma. Ozma turned to see a beautiful sight. His wife came down holding an infant in her arms. She wore a cream-colored robe that covered her lovely figure and her blonde hair fell down her back with. Her eyes looked at the alien in confusion and suspicion. Around her were the other girls. They looked at the alien, hiding behind their mother. Ozma looked between the alien and his wife. The alien blinked and looked at the females. He walked forward, careful as he walked. The woman stepped back as the giant alien looked at her._

 _"My name is Adam Sym... I am Ozma's adopted father as well as a master of the Jedi Order." The alien said, lowering his hood. She blinked and looked at Ozma in shock. One of the girls, whom held onto her mother's robe, let go and walked forward to the alien as the alien crouched to her eye level. The Jedi started to have tears in his eyes._

 _"Hello there, little one." The alien said in a gentle soft tone. The little girl, no more than six, touched the alien's face. she looked at him for a second and said in question.  
"Grandpa?" She asked. He smiled and nodded. _

_"Yes, that's right. I'm your grandfather." The alien said. He looked up._

 _"I am sorry for not knowing your name, milady. May I ask whom you are?" He asked, standing up as the other girls let go of their mother, save the infant whom looked at her newly-revealed grandfather in awe as did the other girls. The woman looked at him in shock and shook her head snapping back to reality._

 _"My name is Salem. I'm Ozma's wife." She told him._


	30. Chapter 30: A Tale of Two Brothers I

Chapter 30

Fourteen-year-old Toph Reo sighed angrily as he walked down the street. He felt sorely out of place in this primitive world. What could be described as a speeder with wheels rushed by him, honking.

"Off the road, jackass!" A woman shouted. Toph gave her the Mandalorian gesture for pounding sand as the car sped away. People walked in the street where he was from. Where's the harm in that? The place here was just downright primitive to him. He didn't see any starships lifting off into the sky. So wherever here was, it didn't have a spaceport. Crap. Either that, or the ships here were grounded. So how in the fierfek was he going to get off-world?! He had to get back to Mom, Dad, and the rest of the clan.

He sighed. This was ridiculous. He tried to think hard. His clan often migrated more times than anyone could count as Mandalore was considered a shadow of its former glory and the Deathwatch's idea of restoring it was pretty much killing everyone else who opposed them. Not wanting to kill the duchess and run afoul of House Vizla: the Clan decided to flee during the civil war years earlier as opposed to giving up their warrior ways and spirit.

These days, the clan tended to intervene in local disputes akin to hired mercenaries, albeit with a bit more honor than the usual ilk. The world that they were on was some long lost farming colony from way back when. Strangely it was abandoned for some reason, no one knew why. The colonists called the place 'Uria'.

Some of the more history-minded folks looked through the history records they had their hands on and found out that this colony may have been one of the original expansionist projects of the Old Republic from a long time ago before it got renewed. Why it was abandoned was a mystery as by all perspectives, it should've been turned into something like say Taris before it got bombarded from orbit by Darth Malaak's fleet all those centuries ago.

The night he left, the clan leader, Mar Reo, had asked to speak with him in private. A bit weirded out that the clan leader would speak to him, Toph accepted. Mar then laid down a very scary truth: he was adopted. It hit him like a bolt of lightning. Mar told him that a Jedi had given him over to raise as an infant, not saying whom Toph's parents were. Mar then told him that, by any and all accounts, he was a stand-up Mandalorian for his age of fourteen.

His first trial of combat was about two years earlier than normal as while the clan's more veteran warriors were off taking down some bandits on another backwater planet, another group of bandits had the gonads to attack the small grounded fleet they called home.

The funny thing was though, Mar didn't remember anything about the attack. All he remembered was that he blacked out as soon as he felt something hit him in the back of the head. When he woke up, he was covered in someone's blood and he was standing in a field of corpses and wrecked speeders. At first, he'd been terrified, but then the clan had told him he did good, while being a bit afraid of what he was obviously. To this day, he still didn't know what happened. To be honest, it scared him. And whatever happened also scared the rest of the clan.

Toph looked around for someplace to drink. A bar would have very handy information if you had the coin. Toph got out his credits and found to his shame: five credits... five measly credits. He looked up at the sky as he groaned.

"Tio, when I get my hands on you I'm going to-" He threatened his now-far-away brother as he shook his head in anger and disbelief. He wanted to kick his little brother's butt so freaking bad. Feuds started for less!

He grunted and put away his credits as he recalled his little brother. Despite his family's constant beatings on him for stealing, the little punk did it anyway. It was going to get his butt banished or worse. He stuffed his credits back into his pocket and looked around for any place that could be a bar. As he walked the streets, he couldn't help but notice some very odd things. There were humans, definitely... but there were also humans with animal characteristics. He walked past two girls with actual long, floppy ears like some kind of rodent. His head turned as he walked past them. Unbelieveable! What's next?! Trandoshans in bikinis?!

Of course, it went both ways as he walked down the sidewalk. The area around him appeared to be something like apartment buildings. The signs here couldn't tell him squat because it was a different language! It might as well have been written in freaking Huttese for all he cared!

Just then, he saw a group of college-aged men up ahead.

"Hey, look at that guy." A man snickered snickered to his friends as Toph walked up to them as the others laughed.

"Hey, the convention's like five months away, dumbass!" Another laughed. Toph grunted, not understanding what they meant. He activated his jetpack and flew right over them while flipping them the bird. They looked up in awe as he landed about half a mile away and farther down the street.

"There's gotta be a decent drinking hole around here so-" Just then a loud 'whoop' was heard and he paused. For crying out loud and for kriff's sake! Why?! He paused as he turned around seeing the red-white-and-blue lights of a police speeder... or rather, some kind of vehicle. The lights' glare was reflected off of his helmet as he looked at the men that came out, wearing blue cloth uniforms with black vests over their torsos. They appeared to be some kind of primitive law enforcement.

"Excuse me, sir. Can we speak to you for a minute?" One of the men asked, his hand on his blaster... or was it something else? It had something glowing on the body of the blaster/firearm.

Both of them towered over him by two or three feet and were bulkier too. He crossed his arms.

"What's this about?" Toph asked.

"Sir, are you registered for those firearms as well as that jetpack?" The police officer on the left asked. One was black with a bald head and green eyes. the other was white with short graying brown hair.

"I'm a member of the Mandalorian clan Bren. I know how to use them." Toph told him, his head dipping.

"Take that bucket off, kid." The black man said with a threatening tone.

"No," Toph told him.

"Son, how old are you?" The white officer asked. Toph recognized what was going on. He heard stories about this. He thought about how to deal with this. He was the only Mandalorian here, he figured. He had tried radioing in on all of his clan's frequencies. Nothing but static.

"Old enough to fight as is the Mandalorian way," The teenager said.

"'Mandalorian', what is that? Some kind of bandit?" The black officer asked, squinting at the kid.

"You'd wish. A long time ago, if we came across this world, you'd all be under our boots and your cities would be in ruins as you begged for your sorry lives." Toph said, honestly. The two men glared at him as he said those words.

"You wanted the truth? You got it." Toph said, shrugging while grinning under his helmet.

"I suggest you think carefully before you say anything else. We could take you in for threats." The white officer said.

"And I suggest you leave me the kriff alone before I do something I may or may not regret." Toph retorted, starting to get into a fighting stance. The officers put a hand on their weapons as the three opponents stared at each other.

"We don't want to hurt you, kid. But you're coming with us whether you like it or not." The white officer said.

"Then, you're going to have to make me." Toph said, dipping his head. In certain war ethics, the other side was supposed to strike first. But, for Mandalorians: sometimes, you had to be the one that started it.

He rolled to the side while drawing his blasters and promptly started opening fire on the officers, blasting both of their knee-caps. They were after all law enforcement. And what good would it do if they were murdered? Murder carried either a life-time prison sentence or a death sentence executed by various means in various systems. And he'd rather not have that happen to himself. The officers roared and screamed in pain as they fell, clutching their knees as they fell.

Toph stood up and shook his head.

"Your kind should best know not to mess with us," Toph said.

"You little bastard!" One of the men said with gritted teeth. Toph looked up at their vehicle and saw that the bolts had not just hit them... it had gone right through their knees entirely and went right into the vehicle's front, damaging its grill. Well, he wasn't going to pay for that: his brother stole his creds!

"Sorry, fellas. I'm not paying your bill." Toph said, walking away as he gave a mocking salute. He smirked as he heard the angered cries of the officers in the background. Mandalorians generally bowed to no one... unless there was a very good reason. Not only that, but Mandalorians had their own laws and customs to follow. Not those of foreigners. Unfortunately: he was a foreigner here, he noticed.

He started hearing more sirens in the distance and sighed as he started to get out of what apparently was the apartment district. He saw some kind of VTOL craft in the distance. They weren't Republic gunships, thankfully. The clan had been trying to stay out of the war and go neutral for around three years now. But, he had to wonder which allegiance this world had.

He readied his blaster pistols as the police vehicles started coming in and the strange dropships/gunships started landing, depositing strange-looking soldiers in the ground. In fact, their helmets looked kind of... Mandalorian, almost. Old Mandalorian, to be exact. He was hesitant as civilians started fleeing as soon as the combined police and possible military presence appeared.

Perhaps, this world wasn't so primitive after all. It looked a lot more dangerous. And maybe he shouldn't have shot those two officers in the knees, now that he thought about it.

Going up against this massive horde looked like suicide. So, he thought about the next best thing: guerilla warfare. Or rather: running away like kriffing coward and try to fight back when he could. He cursed and made his choice.

XXX

Kobacca sat in the room where his 'savior' took him. He looked around at the other young men in the room. They must've been about six years older, maybe more, than him. He was twelve Galactic Standard. They were all dressed strange. Then again, this wasn't Kashyyk.

The blue-haired teenager looked at the blonde-haired one with the monkey tail and the white jacket.

"Dude... you brought a homeless autistic kid with a sword into our dorm," The blue haired kid said, slowly as he glared.

"Because you didn't like homeless shelters?!" he roared the last bit.

"Well, to be honest, homeless shelters aren't always good places for homeless kids." The red-haired one said, crossing his arms as he leaned on a desk. The room was spacious and there were four beds around it.

"He smells like a yak!" The last one said, holding his nose.

I smell fine! Thank you very much! Kobacca growled at him in Shyriwook.

"And there he goes again," The blue-haired one sighed.

"Can you speak any English?" The blonde haired one asked him as he went down to his eye level. Kobacca made a frown. What was 'English'? Was that like Basic or the language they were speaking?

"What's your name?" The blue-haired one asked.

"Na-ame," He repeated as if speaking to a mere cub. Kobacca then did his best Basic.

"KKKOOOBBAAACCCCCCAAAAA," Kobacca said, pointing to himself. They looked at him weird. He sighed. They should know: wookiees couldn't speak Basic because when they did, their words tended to go on really long.

"Kobacca? That's your name?" The blonde haired one asked.

"HHHHHAAAAAAAARDDD TOOOOO SPPPPPEEEEEAAAAKKKK BAAAASSSSIIIICCC LIIIIKKKEEE YYYOOOUUUU." Kobacca told them.

"Why?"

"IIII WWAAASSS RRRRAAAAIIIISSSEEEEDDD BBBYYYY WWWWOOOOOKKKKIIIEEESSSS," He told them. They all thought about what he said. Then, all of them frowned.

"Okay, we can't talk like this." The blue haired one sighed and brought out pieces of paper and gave Kobacca a writing utensil. Kobacca looked at it and looked up. He knew how to write. He laid it down on the ground and started writing in Basic.

 _I was raised by Wookies on the world of Kashyyk. I came here through some kind of portal that dropped me onto your world. I need to know where I am. What world is this? Is this world loyal to the Republic or the Separatists? Can you contact the Jedi or someone to help me? I want to go home._

He wrote feverishly and then handed it to the blue-hared one. They all looked at it and their blank expressions told him everything.

"I can't read this," The blue-haired one said aloud.

"Buddy, I don't think anyone on this planet can read this." The blonde-haired one announced, looking at Kobacca. Kobacca blinked. What kind of world didn't understand Basic?!

Kobacca face-palmed.

"What are we going to do?" The red-haired one asked. They all thought about it.

The blue-haired one swore.

"We're going to have to teach him English, aren't we?" The blonde-haired one groaned.

"Yeah, we're going to have to." Another one of them sighed.

XXX

Qrow sat next to Lira Su as he taught her how to read and write English. Taiyang was washing dishes.

"Look, it's not that hard!"

"It's a lot different than Basic or Kaminoan!" She groaned.

"Big baby," Qrow teased. Lira frowned.

"I am not an infant, it's just difficult to understand."

"Human figure of speech," Qrow told her.

"Ah," she said. Qrow watched her write the alphabet. It was improving, though she had that tendency to write it in her own strange alien way.

"So, how come you people are tall? Eat a lot of veggies as kid?" Qrow asked her.

"We underwent genetic modifications after our planet suffered massive climate change." She told him. Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"As a result, we're a bit of a far cry from what we used to be." She told him as she worked.

"So, what's the climate on your home like? Cold? Hot?"

"Wet," She answered.

"Our ice caps melted long before my grand-father's grandfather was born. As a result, all of our land fauna died and our people were forced to live on mountain peaks as our lands were flooded. Our cities arose from there as we started over from scratch." She explained, remembering her history.

"Sounds like you've done pretty well for yourselves,"

"We have: we're the largest, if not, the only producer of Republic military personnel in the galaxy." She told him. The sound of a plate's shattering was heard and Qrow's jaw went agape. She looked up.

"What?" She asked.

"Can you explain that? You just said your people live on mountain tops." Qrow said, pointing at her with suspicion.

"Over the generations our people built our cities over the seas. However, almost thirteen years ago, Jedi Master Sifo Dyas, without approval from the council, ordered the construction of an army of Clones for the Republic for the upcoming war that he foresaw." Lira said, matter-of-fact unsure what the issue was.

"Clones?" Taiyang asked, turning in his tan apron with a sponge.

"That's right: almost our entire military is made up of clones with the Jedi as superior commanding officers. Padawans are considered 'commanders' and Jedi Knights are 'Generals'." She told them, nodding.

"Clones," Taiyang echoed. She nodded.

"Why Clones?'

"The last war the Republic fought was well over a thousand years ago. Such conscription was felt to be unneccessarily burdensome on the civilian population." She explained. The two men blinked.

"Cloning isn't always a good idea," Qrow told her flatly.

"It worked well for the Republic," She said, shrugging.

"So, who's the guy that's the 'father' of the clones?" Qrow asked. She looked down and turned away.

"You... should probably not ask that. It's a bit of... controversy." She said, softly. Qrow frowned.

"Kid, whomever he or she was, must've been a-"

"He was a Mandalorian bounty hunter," She said, cutting Qrow off.

"His name was Jango Fett. He came to us ten years ago and we used his genetic samples to create the clones. What we didn't know was that he was a Separatist sympathizer under Count Dooku's control." She said, looking at him. Taiyang frowned.

"Isn't that the guy who leads the Separatists in Outer Space?" Taiyang asked. She nodded. Qrow whistled.

"The more you know. I'm willing to bet nobody was happy about it," The drunkard commented.

"Actually, no one really cared, though a few did." Lira said.

"The general opinion of the majority of both Kamino and the galaxy is that the Clones are mere canon fodder, they fight and die and we make more of them, though our genetic samples to make them are dying as well." she told them.

"There was some consideration to make Artyr the new primary genetic donor." She said aloud. The men blinked.

"No way, no way in Hell." Qrow said, horrified as he shook his head.

"I... don't think that would be a great idea," Taiyang Xiao Long said, sheepishly. She looked between the two of them confused.

"Y'see, we knew Artyr's old man when he was still around." Qrow told her. She blinked.

"Oh,"

"We saw him in action a bunch of times, along with his old lady." Qrow added.

"Qrow," Taiyang warned as Qrow glared at him.

"I'm just saying!" He defended himself.

"So, you also know about Artyr's alternate form?" She asked.

"Hell yeah, we do!" Qrow said, exasperated.

"He can take almost any punch and blow that you can throw at him and he's still standing! I saw that guy once get clawed in the face by a big-a-" Qrow said, beginning a tale.

"We're not going to tell her that story, Qrow." Taiyang cut him off.

Lira wanted to know that particular story.

"Well, Artyr has faced a wide variety of creatures and enemies in his service to the Republic," She told them. She couldn't help but feel the old pain of worry.

"He always came out on top... but, sometimes at a cost." She explained.

"Like his first pod or his old unit." She said, softly.

"His first 'what'?" Qrow asked for clarification.

She sighed.

"Nothing," She said, shaking her head.

"I was always so worried about him when he was off on the frontlines or doing missions." She told them.

"He called me via communicator after and before every deployment," She said, smiling as she shook her head.

"Just to tell me that he was okay or to talk," she said. Qrow and Taiyang looked at her.

 _'She's too young to be playing soldier's wife'_ Qrow thought. Hell, she was too young to be in a relationship.

 _'But, it's pretty clear she cares_ that _much about him if she was willing to inject his blood into her DNA.'_ Qrow thought. He went into his pocket and fingered something that was long and cylindrical, remembering someone special.

"So, what's a 'pod'? I know he wasn't born _in_ a pod." Taiyang asked. She looked up and grimaced.

"I'd rather not talk to Artyr about that," She said.

"Why?" Qrow asked, snapping back to reality. She looked at both of the curious humans.

"His first 'pod' or rather in human terms 'Squad' was Hunter squad, a unit of Republic Commandos that he served with initially during the war." She told them. The two adults looked at eachother.

"He was Special Forces?" Taiyang asked in disbelief.

"For awhile, yes. But, after a certain incident, he started leading troops in the field," She told him.

"He's pretty much fought in every single type of hellhole in the galaxy, pardon my Hutteese." She said the last part apologetically.

"That's a bit hard for a kid to go through, one would think."

"You'd be surprised," She told Taiyang, smiling sadly. Her smile faded.

"I was wondering about something: what is Artyr's mother like? I'm afraid I only met her that one time the other night when I came to your world." Lira inquired. Qrow grimaced.

"Yeah, you're better off not ticking her off." The huntsman said, nodding.

"She's also a witch and Beacon Academy's head disciplinarian." Taiyang added. She blinked.

"His mother can use magic? I've only seen Artyr use the Force, but never magic."

"Here, magic is used via these crystals called 'dust' they come in four kinds of colors: red for fire, blue for ice, white for lightning, and yellow for energy." Taiyang lectured as though he were in class.

"Dust is used as energy to power our cars, electricity, our technology, and even certain weapons." Taiyang said. Lira made a 'hmm'.

"We use energy cells in the galaxy," She answered.

"The only crystals I can think of that are similar are-"

"Khyber crystals," Both of the men answered simultaneously. She blinked.

"Like we said: we knew his old man," Qrow said, nodding.

"Now, let's get back to learning." The drunkard said, helping her learn how to read and write. Inwardly, he groaned. He hated teaching. Why'd Ozpin ever him the job ?!


	31. Chapter 31: Gray Jedi: First Class

**Chapter 31**

 **(A/N: I hope it's alright with you all that since Salem is not just the name of the infamous town where the massacres of those accused of witchcraft occurred, it also means in the language of Hebrew 'Whole' or 'Peace' as well as 'Love', I think. So, if it's alright with you all: I'm having Salem use a bit of Yiddish. I myself actually use 'Oy vey' from time to time. If you DON'T want me to use such terms, I'll happily erase the Yiddish terms and I'll use something else.)**

Glynda sighed as she worked on the paperwork. She was getting orders filled for new windows and a door. It turned out Rebecca Winden had a confrontation with her grandmother earlier before she came in. Not that she didn't deserve it.

She looked outside. Artyr would be out tonight training his first class of the new order he was building. Of course, he was just a former padawan. She worried about him and the suggestion he had made: a lot of people with lightsabers could be a recipe for disaster. She shivered at the thought of the wars her ex-husband described from his people's histories and hoped that no such thing would happen here. Not on Remnant. There was too much going on.

She then felt her scroll rumble on her desk. She picked it up and saw that it was a call from Oz. She put it to her ear.

"Yes, Headmaster?" She asked, formal as usual.

"Glynda, turn on Atlas News, you need to see this." Ozpin told her as she did so.

"James Ironwood just called me to tell me what's going on. It's something all of us should see," Ozpin told her.

She put Atlas News Network on her terminal and saw what was going on.

She saw footage of an armored man with some kind of dual pistols talk to two officers. She watched in wide-eyed horror as the figure shot both officers in the knees, the bolts of light blasting through them like a heated needle through a boil. She put her hands over her mouth.

 _"May, what can you tell us about the incident that is occurring right now?" A man asked from the news station in downtown Atlas._

 _"Hank, I can't even believe, much less understand what's going on!" The reporter onsite said as she talked to the camera. Atlas soldiers ran past her along with Police officers. The faint sound of some kind of gunfire was heard along with the usual gunfire one heard._

 _"A lone armed figure shot two police officers without provocation! Both officers were injured and the suspect is now fleeing as we speak while engaging against the authorities!" May told her colleague._

 _"Do we know why the military is involved in apprehending this fugitive?" The man asked. The split between the two showed the vast differences. Just then, a soldier walked up, putting a hand to the camera._

 _"No cameras! Stop rolling!" The soldier shouted, his gauntlet putting a hand on it. Then, the news footage turned to static and a ringing sound with the words 'Please stand by, we are experiencing technical difficulties'._

She blinked.

"I think that was one of your sons, Glynda." Ozpin told her bluntly. She didn't answer as she was shocked. Her heart beat rapidly and all the color from her face drained.

There was no way that could've been one of hers... no possible way! It couldn't have been Christopher or Jacob! It couldn't be! Not her boys! Not her babies!

XXX

Artyr Sym blocked as many strikes as he could with his weapon. Pyrrha used her wooden tree branch like her own weapon: like some kind of sword/spear. She thrusted and then struck at every opening she could. Artyr blocked, using the Force to augment his speed as he anticipated her attacks while also using the Force. She blocked as fast as she could, but it was not enough as he continued striking her shoulders, arms and legs.

The moonlight provided the lighting for the sparring session. The

"Ow! OW! OW! OW! OW!" She yelled trying to block the hits with her broken tree branch. Artyr stopped hitting her and sighed as he shook his head.

"You're lucky, Pyrrha. If that was a lightsaber, you'd be in pieces." He told her honestly. She nodded.

"Yeah," She sighed, rubbing her wound with her gloves.

"Using the Force to fight your opponent by augmenting your speed and strikes? Not a bad idea, but also unfair." Arina Dolin's voice said from the shadows underneath a looming tree as she stepped out in a black cloak with a gray tunic underneath. Her yellow eyes looked at the two sparring partners.

"Then again: life was never fair to begin with." She stated. She looked out across the clearing to see the others. Team JNPR had accepted Artyr's offer as well as the other members of his own team. Team RWBY also accepted. Strangely, Rebecca had somehow taken the liberty of getting Team CFVY, a team of older students in on it. So far: about twenty students in all for the new order that Artyr was building. However, he had admitted that he wasn't that great in lightsaber combat as he was more into using blasters due to his time in the Clone Wars. So, he had asked the ex-Sith to help him out and be the order's new lightsaber combat instructor.

"You see how fast he struck?" She asked. The students nodded as they sat with their tree-branches in hand.

"That's a sliver of the power of the Force. Of course, there are other uses such as manipulating objects and people, draining the life force of living things, and prophetic gifts as well. I've heard of battle meditation, in which by meditating, a force user can manipulate the actions of his or her unit in battle, inspiring and aiding them to victory." She lectured.

"Unfortunately," Artyr said, facing everyone.

"Only Force-users can use such abilities like battle meditation. There's not just one ability that Force users can do: it can be many or just a few." Artyr also lectured.

A hand raised. His face fell.

"No, Coco. You're not going home. And no: none of you get lightsabers until both Dr. Dolin and I agree that you can use it responsibly."

A loud curse filled the air.

"You said we were going to learn how to use lightsabers!" Velvet said aloud, as did others.

"Artyr and Dr. Dolin make a great point." Pyrrha said, defending the two Force-users.

"I know that a number of us didn't train with actual weapons until we showed that we were capable of wielding such things."

"She's right," Blake said, adding her two cents.

"Yeah, I agree." Weiss said.

Others spoke in agreement.

Coco, Nora, and Tyler all grumbled as they said this.

"Now then: in the Jedi Order there were seven traditional forms of lightsaber combat."

"SEVEN?! How many moves do we have to know?!" Ruby asked, exasperated.

"If you wish, I will make notes for you all:" Artyr told them, smiling. Ruby exhaled a sigh of relief as did Nora and Jaune.

"But, bear in mind: you must let no one outside this group see them: not even your friends outside of school or this group, not even the teachers." Artyr warned, pointing his tree branch around.

"Why?" Coco asked, curious.

"Do you think that there are people out to hurt us if they knew?" Velvet asked.

"I'm positive of it," Artyr answered firmly.

"Need I remind you all: we're going to be attacked during the Vytal Festival by Salem and her henchmen. Whom they are, I have no idea. But, I do know that they're not going to get in by waltzing in so freely." Artyr said.

"They'll be expecting a naive student body with no clue as to what's at stake. They'll think that there's only one Jedi here, or rather one _Sym_." Artyr told them. He grinned.

"Obviously, they won't be knowing about the fact that there's going to be a bit more than one who can use a lightsaber by six months' end." Artyr said. Yang and Nora grinned mischieviously.

"Now then, the first form that I will demonstrate is Form I or 'Shii-Cho'. It's the most basic and, to use a big term: rudimentary, form of lightsaber combat as well as the oldest. All Jedi know this form." He said.

"The Sith also practiced such forms as well as technically speaking: the Sith were once Jedi themselves." Arina said, stepping beside him.

"Doctor Dorin: would you mind us having a spar to show Form I?" Artyr asked her as he turned to her. Arina nodded.

"Of course, "Master Sym'." Arina said, teasing while affirming.

"Isn't Artyr still a 'Padawan'?" Ruby whispered to Yang.

"Nah, he cut his braid after he learned that his Order hid the truth about his family to him. He's done with them in almost everything." Tyler told her. Pyrrha went back to her spot next to Jaune. The two lightsaber wielders faced each other: ten meters away from each other. Artyr set aside his tree-branch and brought out his lightsaber. The two then activated their lightsabers.

"Whoa! Hers is red!" Jaune exclaimed.

"Can I get mine in pink?" Nora whispered to Ren.

"I'm hoping to get a green one, actually." Ren said back.

"I'm getting yellow," Yang said, enthusiastic.

"Think they have one in black?" Blake wondered.

"I would like a white saber, to be honest." Weiss said.

"They have one in green or brown?" Coco asked.

Rebecca looked at her grandmother's saber in awe. She had never seen a different colored lightsaber other than Artyr's before.

"Maybe there's a golden one?" Pyrrha wondered. Artyr and Arina sighed and turned their heads as they spoke as one.

"Shut up and pay attention!" Everyone stopped speaking and the two combatants began their sparring session.

The two then began to fight. Artyr struck first with a head-downward swing blocked by Arina right before he struck from her right, making her block instantly, followed by a slash at her left after he reversed it, first jabbing at her, which was parried, then striking at both of her legs whereupon she blocked them both. The sparks flew as their blades clashed: his natural green lightsaber against her synthetic red blade. His offense ended as she went on the offensive. They watched as the ex-padawan struggled to block her attempts. He narrowly blocked each strike with her turn ended by a final block to his feet. They deactivated their lightsabers.

"That... was the first phase of Shii-Cho: the first combat form every Jedi and Sith know upon initiation into training." Artyr stated.

"Each of you are to practice this and the other forms of combat here with your 'practice sabers'. You may do so in the practice ring at Beacon, but only if your weapon is compatible with each form." He instructed.

"In other words, Ruby: You can't use Crimson Rose, but you may surprise me." He said, smiling. Ruby groaned.

"Well, shoot!" Yang said, angrily. Artyr's eyes widened as he recalled the lesson from Professor Port on how the Grimm were attracted to negative emotions somehow.

"Yang! Yang! Anger! Grimm!" He warned. She blinked in confusion and then realized it.

"Oh, right." She said, calming down.

"Pyrrha, come here with your 'practice saber." He ordered. She did likewise. Artyr put his hilt back onto his belt and then force-grabbed his own branch as the two faced each other.

"Did you pay attention?" He asked. She nodded.

"I think I got it," She said aloud. He nodded back.

"We'll see," He said.

"I also forgot to mention," He added, remembering. His head turned to his class.

"In traditional duels, one must salute their partner/opponent. Now, granted that is not always the case. But, in this instance:" He lectured, standing upright. He put his branch up towards the sky with on hand and then swung it down at a diagonal angle towards the ground. Pyrrha did the same. Then, they both got into a fighting stance. Artyr struck first.

"If you were a force user, you'd be feeling the movements through the force." Artyr lectured as he struck at her. She blocked each strike with ease, with her defense ending, followed by a quick flurry of strikes, surprising him.

"Very good, Pyrrha!" Artyr complimented as he ended his defense with the block at his feet.

"Always be mindful of your stance," He lectured.

"What are you, a teacher?" Coco barked at him.

"He's training us to be lightsaber wielders! So he's our teacher along with my grandma! So, unless you've got better things to do: Shut up!" Rebecca roared. Artyr winced.

"For the last time, guys: Be careful on how you feel in these woods! The Grimm are attracted to negative emotions! Stuff like anger, sadness, rage, and so forth." The ex-Jedi said as he turned towards them.

"He's not wrong," Arina commented as she crossed her arms.

"I'm no fan of the Jedi Code, but here it could be of some use, though I would rather be emotional than a robot." She said, her eyes looking at Artyr.

"The Jedi have a code?" Jaune asked.

"Of course:" Artyr said, reciting from memory.

 _"_ _There is no emotion, there is peace._

 _There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.  
_ _There is no passion, there is serenity.  
_ _There is no chaos, there is harmony.  
_ _There is no death, there is the Force."_

"However, the Code, in certain interpretations: is nihilistic, sadly." Artyr admitted with sadness as he nodded.

"It sounds... really chivalrous, I think." Jaune said.

"How can there be harmony when there is chaos?" Ren asked. Artyr smiled. It was funny seeing students play philosopher. He once did that himself as Yoda explained it to him.

"In the Jedi point of view, there is no such thing as 'chaos' in the big picture of the galaxy: there is harmony and order. In essence, the will of the Force flows through the events." Arina scoffed at his Jedi explanation.

"The Force isn't just some omnipresent energy field as the Jedi say it is, though." Arina commented.

"Members of the Sith believe that the Force can be an object of study or of ultimate power." She said.

"And I would argue that there are some things better left unknown in that point of view." Artyr countered respectively.

"Then again, it is my old Order's way of thinking," He said as she glared at him before nodding.

"How can there be no death if there is the Force?" Ruby wondered aloud as she thought.

"Obviously, there is ignorance as well as knowledge." Blake criticized the Code. Artyr found it funny as others just ripped into the Code. Master Yoda would have a field day with this if they were all padawans and younglings. That, and he could only imagine the frustrations of Master Windu.

"Passion... like romance?" Nora asked with glee in her eyes. Ren and other men along with Ruby looked at her horrified.

"No no no no no, it's more along the lines of say- anger and hatred. Not that..."He paused as he felt a disturbance in the Force. He looked up as he stopped speaking. He turned to Arina whom looked at him and nodded.

It was a dark ripple, as if something bad, but not terrible had happened. It was like a city was in panic far away. Something was happening. Something bad.

"Art... you alright?" Pyrrha asked.

"Fine," Artyr lied, smiling.

"Now, I want you all in pairs and fight each other using what you just saw. Dr. Dorin and I will help you out. Bear in mind: We're going to be practicing all seven forms for the next _six_ months, with _three weeks_ time for _each_ form." Artyr said, putting his emphasis on certain words.

"What?!" Ruby, Coco, Weiss, and a whole bunch of others roared.

"You've got to be kidding me! Why?!" Ruby roared as did Tyler and Yi.

"We've all got this with homework, tests, and the Vytal Festival coming up and-" Yi said, complaining right before he realized the reason behind the urgency as others did as well.

"Oh," The fox faunus realized.

XXX

Salem heard the news as soon as Watts had told her from what he saw on his scroll. She blinked.

"An entire kingdom after one man?" She asked, curious. Ordinarily, such news may have revealed a prospective candidate. And she was not one for looking at certain technologies. She knew of far greater and more advanced things in life.

"I'm sure,ma'am. Perhaps if you were to-" Watts asked, starting to hand her his scroll. She raised a hand to deny the request.

"I'll see for myself. You attend to your own affairs until I call you." She told him. The shattered moon hung over the sky, a grim reminder of her affairs like several other places and things in this world. She thought for a moment and went to her study. As she went to her throne where a black orb stood on a pedestal in front of it, she passed a shrine. She looked at it and paused before it. She was silent before it and the objects placed before it.

Yet again, she found herself having a small, tiny voice inside of her ask... Why? Why was she doing this? Why had she done what she had done? She would answer back: _Revenge_. The happy memories she once had of love and family were gone, replaced by tragic loss of both world and said family along with betrayal. She fumed.

"Mommy will be with you again, someday. I promise." She said, softly so that none could hear as she eyed a very old toy that once belonged to a child. It was burnt beyond recognition and the weariness of time had aged it so much that the details were practically gone. It had been the last thing one of the children had held as she and her ex-husband had fought in their home, which she stood in now.

The fight tore both family and home apart, killing all, save herself and her husband. When she saw what had occurred, she killed her husband's reincarnation and swore that she would fight him for the rest of time until she had her revenge on both the Twin Gods and her ex-husband for his betrayal! That, and the Syms.

She gritted her teeth. For generations, her husband's adopted family, bound by that ancient blood oath that Adaham Sym had sworn to both his son and the Gods, had harried her for millennia until she regained the upper hand. For a thousand years she had gone into hiding as she fled from them and their abilities as Jedi. The first many generations until the thousand years... save that of Adaham and his descendant Markus Sym of the Great Schism/ Century Long Darkness fought her. She slew both, for sure.

She recalled with relish as she slew Markus in front of him and then fatally wounded Adaham, using his own abilities as a Jedi against him. He had disappeared in a flash and she was left with his descendant's corpse. She took his saber and left the body for someone to bury... or for animals to eat. Either way: no longer a problem. That was until about twenty-two years later, she discovered that the damned fool had fathered children! As had each and every Sym after them! All the male Syms fathered their own bastard children and that left her not only mad with anger, but mad at what was supposed to have been a part of her family that should've supported not just her ex-husband, but also her in their plans together!

She wanted to scream and swear with rage at them all. She had killed thirteen of them... _thirteen_ and wounded many, many more. But, strangely, the ones that were left alive: all vanished, never to return. A good thing perhaps... but something was up. She knew it in her bones, in her soul that whatever was going on: she wasn't going to like it.

No Sym had appeared in over five hundred years in the other universe, in the galaxy that they were raised. Why? What had caused no Sym to appear in all that time? And more importantly: Where were the Syms getting their wives? Whom was bearing their children? Where was their homeworld? What was their people's origins? How was she going to kill them all? How was she going to exterminate their whole damned race if they were so much as bent on foiling her plans?! They couldn't kill her, obviously... but they were up to something.

She remembered the last Sym: Aogust. He had disappeared for a year, according to a source, and then briefly reappeared before again vanishing after the death of Summer Rose, one of her enemies in this century. She shook her head as she recalled what she did to Summer and then what she did to Aogust as he was present there. He had disappeared after that in a flash of light like his ancestor. And now? His son was here, to continue the family tradition.

She relished the thought of breaking him like so many others. And luck would have it: he didn't father any children. He was sixteen! He was already committed to the Jedi Order's teachings. Besides, he had no other siblings. He'd be struck down before he could so much as even kiss a girl!

Her husband, his family, and the Gods had caused so much pain and loss to her. And she would return the favor.

She then went to her throne and connected with it. She thought of Artyr Sym, the newest member of the family. She saw an image form in the black void of the orb as she looked intently. A shadowy figure formed and she frowned. Odd. That didn't usually happen.

The figure was bulky and hooded as it materialized. She saw that it was holding something and then realized to her horror that this wasn't Artyr Sym. This was someone else. And this someone... was holding an orb like her own.

A familiar voice spoke, deep and booming. It was a bit of a far cry of what it once was, as if the voice's owner had grown and aged a long time. But she could tell whom it was. The eyes of the hooded figure opened, revealing completely yellow eyes with no pupil.

 **"Hello, Aunt Salem."** The voice boomed. She blinked and looked in shock. She glared and snarled as she spoke.

"Aogust Sym, we meet again, it would seem." She said, her voice dripping.

 **"Oh, we shall meet again, Salem... but not on your terms."** Aogust told her.

 **"This feud of our family has gone on for too long, Aunt. I suggest you give it up before something we all shall regret happens. Far worse than what befell my dearly beloved c-"** The alien-human hybrid said before being cut off.

 _"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT MY BABIES LIKE_ THAT, _YOU FREAK OF NATURE!"_ She roared at the orb.

 **"Now, whom is the freak of nature? You or I?"** She heard Aogust smile.

"I know about your son, Aogust. I will make sure he suffers a painful end and you shall watch it!" She said, sadistically smilin as she spoke. Aogust laughed a deep laugh in response.

 **"'Suffer?' You know nothing of suffering. True Suffering. You thought losing your daughters was bad, Salem? You thought losing one world was bad? Uncle Oz betraying you?"** The man's eyes squinted as he spoke and she saw that her view had gotten closer. She realized that he had an orb of his own... how?!

"You have an orb like mine!" She said in surprise.

 **"I have seen realities burn and nations die. I have seen the rise of the Old Gods and many an End-Time, Aunt."** Aogust told her. She blinked. What the heck was he talking about?! 'Old Gods'?! What 'Old Gods'?! There were only the Twin Gods!

 **"I have seen the Big Crush and the Big Tear,"** He said as the orb got closer. She wondered what those terms meant.

 **"And make no mistake: I am older now, _much, much_ older." ** He continued and she saw his face. It was completely and utterly altered. Whereas when she faced him in his alternate alien form( Bulky, muscular like a body builder and twice as big as a man) His face was completely different. His face still bore the scars from her fight with him, but she saw that his nose was nothing but two nostrils on his face and his skin had hardened and thickened into something else.

 **"I tell you this right now: Leave my son alone... ALL OF THEM. And maybe we may have a happy ending yet for our family."** Aogust said. She shook her head in confusion. He had more than one son?! HOW?! WHEN?!

 **"And if you so much as try looking for anyone I care about with that damned trifle of yours... I will know. And I will end you the same way I slew Sauron and cut down Morgoth so many times before you."** Aogust threatened. She wondered whom those names were and felt some kind of shiver down her spine. She thought she could no longer be scared after a lifetime of pain and suffering as well as her war against Oz. But this? This was new. This was... She gawked at him. The insolence and arrogance of this alien hybrid _schmuck!_

 **"Farewell, Aunt Salem. Pray we don't meet in battle as before."** Aogust said before his image winked out. She was left reeling with confusion and anger at this self-righteous _putz_ that dared to call her 'aunt'!

Whatever had happened to Aogust after their last meeting: that fight had changed him. He used to be a joker when he fought until Summer Rose died. He used to be a naive person of light. But now? He had changed, no doubt about it. And what he said greatly disturbed her. He had talked about sons... plural. He fathered more than one kid. She looked up at the ceiling and past it.

"You twin turds really have it in for me, don't you?" She asked glumly. If the Gods heard, she didn't know.

 _"Oy vey iztmir,"_ She groaned.


	32. Chapter 32: The Call

Chapter 32

 **(A/N: How does this chapter look to you all, out of curiosity? I also keep thinking about making a belated Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving special chapters for this story)**

Ozpin, once known as Ozma in another life, sat behind his desk as he watched the events unfold in Atlas. Is this what it was all coming down to? This whole mess? A series of absentee fathers leaving one generation to be raised by the Jedi Order or otherwise and then go off and disappear or die? A series of great-grandnephews that had different or similar personalities, men whom he had talked to, consoled, exhorted, and scolded? Men whom were pretty much family as well, though he himself was adopted by their ancestor.

Ozpin shut down the terminal as Artyr walked in, tired and dirty as well as sweaty. His nose crinkled at the smell. The boy stood at attention.

"You're not in the Republic Army anymore, Artyr. You can stand freely." Ozpin reminded him. Artyr nodded and stood loose.

"Just letting you know: first night of training went by without a hitch, Uncle Oz." Artyr smiled.

"We're starting with Shii-Cho for the next three weeks, followed by Makashi for the next three. We're doing all seven in six months total." He reported as well. Ozpin frowned.

"Weren't there six forms? I remember six. What's the seventh?" he asked, leaning forward, interested.

"That would be Vaapad, a new one created by Master Windu from back home." Artyr explained, jerking a thumb back.

"He taught me a bit, but he warned me that it could lead to the dark side of the Force." He explained.

"It uses emotions as you fight. The only people he usually taught it to were masters or fellow knights. I was an exception because I kept pestering him about it for about half a year when he finally started teaching me." Artyr said, smiling.

Ozpin smiled back. But the Ozma part of him, or rather soul, said internally _'Because the biological side of you is some kind of aggressive alien. Doing that form would compromise yourself and put you into a rage.'_ Ozma wanted to say.

"Wel, I look forward to seeing it in sparring sessions." He said.

"Also, I have been hearing that you've been acting rather odd this past month," Ozpin noted. Artyr sighed.

"Guess I'm still getting used to all this," Artyr admitted, gesturing around him.

"A bit more than a month ago, I was doing a mission on a ball of ice where a magic portal took me to Remnant. Since then, I've learned that my Mom's a witch and my Dad's a long-lost Jedi who gives his kids away and that my family's also a long line of Jedi that disappear, apparently coming here, and then leaving all of a sudden." Artyr said, recapping the events.

"I've also learned that Master Yoda lied to me about what I was and whom I was, and the fact that he swore my girlfriend to secrecy, plus my girlfriend also injected herself with my DNA and nearly got herself killed in the process." He added, his face taking a serious and angry look as well as his tone of voice.

"I'm still getting used to all this. I mean-" He laughed.

"I still expect to wake up every day back in the Jedi Temple and hear Master Almira's voice yell at me to get my lazy ass up or even wake up in a field HQ!" He said and then shook his head. He then looked down as he became sad.

"It's been more than a month since I last saw her... or anyone else: Ahsoka, Master Windu, Master Fisto, Yoda too." He said, shaking his head.

"I miss the Clones, too. Especially them." Artyr said aloud, looking up.

"I fought alongside all of them for about three years... and now I'm here... with no one but me and Lira to ever put the truth to the claim of what happened where we're from." Artyr told him.

"There's also Doc Dorin, but she's a Sith and she hates me for my 'Jedi ways'." He told her.

"You're forgetting that Qrow, Taiyang, Raven (Taiyang's ex-wife) and Summer Rose (Ruby's Mother) all fought alongside your father as well. They too can put the truth to that claim of Jedi and what happened to you as well as General Ironwood. This also includes myself, Artyr." Ozpin said, touching his chest.

"I know, none of this is easy for you." He told him as he stood up and walked around his desk.

"I've met your ancestors: each and every one of them back to my adopted father, Adam, himself." He said, walking towards his grand-nephew.

"And they were just as depressed and confused as you were after they were told the truth." Ozpin told him honestly as he now finally stood up to the boy. He put a hand on the young man's shoulder.

"They too suffered loss as well: their colleagues and faith in the Order and its teachings as they discovered what the Order had done." Ozpin told him. Artyr blinked as the man with two souls smiled at him.

"Didn't think about that, did you?" He chuckled.

"I remember the looks on each of their faces as I explained whom I was in relation to them and the family history,"

"I remember young Cassius was so confused that he was in his room for a good long week before Mission had to entice him out in a-" He paused as the old memory came back and he blinked. Best not to tell that story. That wasn't good in morals at all. The result had been that Mission had been pregnant at the age of twenty as the two had arrived as good friends with their friend Zaalbarr staying behind in their home galaxy. Mission didn't confess her feelings until she was about nineteen to him near Vale. Cassius disappeared eight months later and then Mission herself had disappeared. He wanted his face to fall right in front of his own grand-nephew but decided not to. Artyr had never really known a father, save his master. Just about all of them save Adam had. He wanted to sigh. So many of his nephews and nieces-in-law had disappeared, their fates unknown to this day. Aogust, obviously, was still alive, which was a plus. But the bastard had done the unthinkable!

"Mission? who's Mission?" Artyr asked.

"Oh, that was someone your ancestor fell in love with when both of them were older. Both of them used to work with someone by the name of Revan." Ozpin told him. At this Artyr's jaw dropped.

"' _Revan'_?! The Jedi/Darth Revan the Balanced? Hero of the Mandalorian Wars? Two-time Jedi and One-time Sith? _That Revan_?!" He said in shock. Ozpin wanted to grin at this.

"And you said it was also a person named Mission that came with him? What was she? Was she his sister?!" Artyr inquired.

"Gods no!" Ozpin said in shock wanting to slap the shiznit out of his own many-times-great-grand-nephew.

"She was his wife," He corrected the boy. Artyr blinked.

"So, I'm not the first one here to have a girl from back home?" He asked.

"Not by a long shot," Ozpin affirmed. He remembered Mission Vao. She had been such a sweet girl, despite her appearance as an alien. They had to put make-up on her to make her look more human and then have her wear a hood around her head so that no one would notice the lekku!

"Mission.. Mission..." Artyr then said, thinking on the name. His eyes widened.

"As in 'Mission Vao?! She was the tech and recon expert for Revan's team while they were going up against Darth Malaak! The holo-books never talked about what happened to her!" Artyr said, excited.

"I can tell you that she was alive and well during her stay here," Ozpin affirmed.

"Great! Happen to know where she went?" The young man asked, smiling. Oh, boy.

"I have no idea. The last time I saw her was after Cassius disappeared. I never knew what happened to both of them, but I know that her son Revan was born later and he too came to our world." Ozpin said, matter-of-fact. Artyr smiled and then he froze. His face had paled.

"I'm... part Twi'lek?" He asked, softly. He blinked rapidly.

"Oh, Force." He whispered, shaking his head as he shuddered. Ozpin raised an eyebrow at Artyr's antics.

"Artyr? Are you okay?" He asked, concerned. Artyr had a look of horror on his face.

"Oh, dear sweet Force!" The boy kept whispering as if he was remembering something terrible. He then realized what was happening around him and then straightened himself out, clearing his throat.

"Sorry about that," Artyr told him, apologetically.

"I had a bit of a reminiscence of a bad memory," He said, grimacing as he spoke. Ozpin looked at him, worried. Just what in the heck happened to him over there involving twi'leks?! He remembered them being described as a very beautiful people that were sadly subjected to slavery by the Hutts (Well, actually, some were slaves. Others were not)

"Do you want to-" Ozpin started to say.

"No, no. I'm fine." The nephew told his ancestral uncle, raising a hand to deny the request.

"I'd rather not. You wouldn't understand." Artyr said, shaking his head.

"I'm heading off to shower and then bed. See you tomorrow!" His relative told him, waving as he turned around.

"Good night," Ozpin called after him. Inside, the two souls within the body spoke to each other.

 _'These days are getting stranger and stranger. First, Artyr showed up, then his girlfriend with Aogust coming back after sixteen years, and then the other two boys. We know that Toph has been up to no good in Atlas, but we still don't know anything about Jacob in Vacuo.'_ _The Ozpin soul said to its counterpart._

 _'I agree, but I know that he will show up in the proper time,'_ Ozma said bcck to Ozpin menta _lly._

 _'Oh, so you're not worried about the fact that there's a twelve-year-old boy raised by alien sasquatches on a forest world, running around, making himself look like an idiot?'_ Ozpin asked.

 _'Of course, I'm worried! They're my family!'_ Ozma countered, hurt by Ozpin's sarcasm.

 _'If you did care about them, you would be sending out everyone to find them! EVERYONE!'_ Ozpin said. The body began to jerk as the two battled mentally.

 _'You know damn well why I can't do that! Amber and the relic need to be protected from her! Artyr and the others would be killed by Salem! She knows how to fight like a Sith! We saw it with our own_ eyes!'Ozma said in his defense.

'No, we saw a dead Sith Lord talk about how Salem was trained by Sith Lords for the past few thousand or more years.' Ozpin corrected him.

'And for the record: it was my eyes that saw, but we're both sharing the body, so there you go.' Ozpin told Ozma.

'Point taken' Ozma told his counterpart. The body they both shared sighed.

"What would Father say about this?" He wondered aloud.

Yet again, he thought of his now-long vanished father. What would he have thought of all this? What would he have thought of his biological descendants? Not only that, but he still couldn't understand the reason why the children of his adopted father were all taken away from their mothers and then given to the order or other warrior cultures. Why? What was the purpose? Whom had ordered it? Surely not his father!

It made him think back to that day, so long before the trouble of this world began, before he met his ex-wife, before he became a legend in his own right.

A phone call from his scroll distracted him from his thoughts. He looked at the caller ID: Ironwood.

He answered it.

"This is Oz," He said, flatly.

"You seeing this, Oz? The kid just got here yesterday and now there's full manhunt on him. I don't know if I can keep my people from killing him on sight." Ironwood said, admitting his weakness.

"He's a Mandalorian, James. My family spoke of them often." Oz told him.

"Then, can you explain why in the Gods' green Remnant did he shoot two police officers in both knees? Why?" Ironwood hissed.

"Most likely, he didn't like the way they were talking down to him." Oz told the General. He heard the Atlesian soldier grunt in anger.

"Well, can you send in Aogust's boy? I saw on some of the footage that this kid's armor is similar to that of Artyr's armor from the footage of that robbery a month ago." Ironwood requested.

"Toph is also 'Aogust's boy'," Oz reminded him.

"The Aogust we knew was a Jedi, Artyr's a Jedi... this kid? He's NOT a Jedi." Ironwood told him.

"Apparently, there were things that not everyone told me when they came." He frowned as he spoke next.

"I'd like to know very well why a Sym was given over to the Mandalorians as an infant, despite the fact that my family has been pretty much all Jedi and the fact that the Mandalorians were their enemies in the past." The headmaster of Beacon told his counterpart. He remembered the tales that were told by subsequent generations of Syms as they came to Remnant, how the Mandalorians arose from primitive beginnings to go on a 'crusade' to conquer the galaxy.

Cassius's friend Revan had been a hero during those wars alongside his apprentice Malak, before they turned to the dark side as they tried to find Emperor Valkorion. If he recalled, Revan had taken the mask of a dead war leader called a 'Mandalore' and used it in battle, denying the Mandalorians their rightful relic. After Revan had disappeared again, only to be later found by Marcus Sym (to Ozpin he'd be Marcus XIV) and his friend Cephas Itorian, the Outlander. That tale had been strange even for him.

If anything, he had to wonder what else his own adopted family were hiding from him? Why hadn't Father, the first Sym to become a Jedi Knight and a member of the last generation of people to come from their dead homeworld, ever taken him to other realities?! If that had happened: the whole debacle with his ex-wife would've never happened and Salem would be long-dead in the damned tower that he saved her from or someone else would've had the hassle of saving her witch keister!

Ozma/pin gritted his teeth as he thought about it all. He knew that Salem couldn't be defeated... not in this lifetime. If anything: the goal here was to hold out as long as he can. And it was a lot better to tell the lie that there was hope when there was none. He remembered what the Relic of Knowledge had told him on how to stop Salem: _There was no way._ What summarized his response to that was two words as he fell on his knees in despair at the revelation of it all: _AH POODOOO!_

"Will Glynda approve of you sending her son to me to deal with his brother?"

"I wouldn't, actually in her case." Ozpin told him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ironwood asked.

"It means: there's been some more information that just got discovered. I'll tell you all at the next meeting. Artyr won't be invited as I have no intention of scaring him with it." Ozpin told him.

There was silence on the other end.

"Oz... if you're not inviting the kid... what is it?" He asked.

"I think I know why members of my family have been disappearing, why they haven't been coming back except for Aogust. And it all has to do with some family history on the other side." Ozma told him. Again, there was silence as Ironwood considered it.

"We need Art, Oz. I think he's the only one right now who can understand what's going on with them both. I know it's been more than a month, but we need him over here."Ironwood pleaded.

"Right now, or there's going to be a bloodbath that I can't prevent or cover up." Ironwood told him. Ozpin/ma looked at the scroll with a sad and concerned look. He looked out the window to the starry sky and looked up at the shattered moon.

 _'Father,'_ He silently prayed.

 _'If you're still out there, if you're in the Force or in Heaven... please: help me. I don't know what to do.' He continued, hoping his thoughts and prayers reached out into the Force that he could never reach as a child or a man.  
_

 _'Please, guide me. Help me. I've never had a member of our family come here as a mere padawan much less a teenager!' Ozma pleaded._ He hoped he had an answer. He had hoped that Artyr would be educated at this school and lead his own team, whereas his father had arrived as a full adult and was a late student, joining Team STRQ as its fifth member. However, it seemed that things were changing too rapidly for that to happen and everything was starting to look darker than it did before.

More than a month ago, Artyr Sym had been a Jedi Padawan with a dark secret that the Republic itself and even his own order wanted buried. Now: he was teaching his own class of 'padawans' in lightsaber combat. However, there was a lot to be improved though Artyr now found himself in the role of 'Master'. Everyone had told him, the ones that knew his father, that he was just a padawan but found the idea tolerable... provided this didn't turn out to be the precursor to Remnant's version of the Jedi Civil War!

That, and there was the fact that Salem had somehow gotten a hold of the same kind of device that sent the Syms to Remnant in the first place and learned from the Sith themselves! So, that meant that not only was Artyr going to have to be watched constantly: he was going to have to be protected above all costs as he was:

1) Too young to father children anyhow as he was sixteen

2) He and his girlfriend were too young to marry, obviously.

3) His own father was pretty much being a dead- beat Dad (worse than Raven in anyone's opinion as Raven was being a selfish witch and leading a clan of bandits)

4) His younger brother was causing havoc in Atlas and he was raised by a race of world-conquerers

5) His other younger brother was missing somewhere in Vacuo, only the Gods themselves knew what happened to him, but Oz hoped he was in good hands.

6) The boy pretty much had no father figure and he needed one, much like himself in his first body.

"I'll send him over there, but I'm also going with him." Ozma told Ironwood. There was silence again.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say? I could've sworn you said that you were 'going with him'?!" Ironwood said in shock. Ozma looked down.

"I've always wanted to see a Mandalorian up close. I believe Artyr should know the proper customs and I plan on aiding him in this. Besides: he's my family, James. We Syms stick together." Ozma told him.

 _'You don't think that she's going to send someone to get Toph, do you?' Ozpin asked in their shared mind._

 _'If she is, she's going to have to go through me to get to him,' Ozma said back._

 _'I've lost too many nephews to this bitch that was my wife,' Ozma added._

 _'If she thinks she's going to kill my nephews as well: she's got another thing coming. In the words of my father, and I hope you remember this Ozpin:_ _Nie zadzieraj z Sim!'_ Ozma told him. He felt Ozpin look at him mentally with a look of confusion and bewilderment

 _'And just what does that mean?!' Ozpin asked in confusion._

 _'In his people's tongue? 'You don't mess with a Sym!'_ Ozma translated happily as he beamed with pride as he thought of those words spoken by the old Jedi as he battled those whom dared to fight against him and his adopted son.

"YOu can't just leave Beacon Academy, Oz! You-"

"I have responsibilities. Expect us within half of a day. I'll have Glynda handle things. She'll understand. I will leave within the next two hours." Ozpin told him.

"Fine. I'll see you there. Just get here as soon as you can. We'll keep you updated on the situation as we keep a lid on the press." Ironwood told him, begrudgingly.

"Bye for now," He said, bidding farewell. He turned the call off after Ironwood also bid farewell. He stood up from his chair and looked at his cane. He then unscrewed the bottom of it, disconnecting the half that extended and then disassembled the latch that served as the extender. What was now seen was a lightsaber hilt with an activation plate. He pressed it, watching with a smile as the blade shot out in a blue beam of light. It hummed with power as the glare reflected off of his glasses.

"It's been too long since I used this," He commented to himself. He deactivated it and then went off to change. Before that, he shot a text to Artyr followed by a text to Glynda with extra assurances that he would make sure that Artyr would be fine.

XXX

Artyr got the text as soon as he was in the showers for Beacon Academy and looked at it in shock.

 _Artyr: I'm sorry for changing plans, but gear up: we're going on a mission. Just you and myself. Your team's not going with us as I want there to be very little attention to us. Your mother knows. We're getting your brother, in case you want to know. I'll explain later. Meet me at the docks over at the cliffs where you arrived on your first day._

The ex-Jedi looked at the text in shock. What the heck was he thinking?! There was class tomorrow and Mom would kill him if he so much as got late for class! And what was Mom going to think about this?! He sighed angrily and then shot a text to his team that he would be gone for a bit under the guise of 'Uncle Oz is going on a beer run for some odd reason in the middle of the night'.

He sighed as Rebecca and the others of Team ARTY texted back.

'You're the worst liar in the history of liars! Where are you going this time of night?!' Rebecca asked. He sighed as he went to the locker room and went to put on his armor.

'None of you are coming with me. It's a personal matter for me and Uncle Oz.' Artyr texted right as he was about to open his locker. He opened it and looked at the armor that had sat almost untouched for the past six weeks. He looked at the helmet with its T-shaped visor staring back at him and he at it.

The helmet had represented what he had been for three years: a soldier, a Commando, a leader, a warrior, and so much more. He took it out of its space with as soft a touch as one would carry a baby. He sat down on the bench behind him as he looked at it.

"Hey, guys." He said, praying to his long-dead _pod_.

"I don't know if any of you are in the Force right now... or if you're even listening to me." He said.

"I hope you've been seeing me these days: going from Jedi to ex-Jedi, being a Padawan to not." He shook his head.

"I wish you all were here, you, Blake, and the others." He said. Tears started to fall from his eyes.

"I think about you guys, every day." He told the helmet. It stared back at him without a word.

"I found out that I've got family here on this world: my actual Mom, my ancestral uncle, and folks who knew my Dad." He stated. He sighed as the reflection of the visor stared back at him.

"Lira's here, y'know." He told it and laughed.

"Yeah, it's true what Loki told you guys: I _really was_ having an affair with her." He chuckled.

"Scandalous, right? Master Almira and Master Bell were both so hard on me for so much as even looking at a girl and yet, right under Master Almira's nose I was kissing Lira in a closet." He told them as he recalled that memory.

"And no, I never slept with her, you dirty-minded idiots." He said, imagining Loki's laughter, Baldur's head-shaking in disapproval along with Odin's glare of 'you-done-kriffed-up' and Thor's booming laughter as he would possibly smack Artyr's back as he would tell them.

"Things here are... bad, _getting_ bad, I think." He confessed.

"There's this woman named Salem that's tied into my family somehow. She and my Uncle, whom knew the first Sym that became a Jedi, have been at war with each other for generations. I'm still wondering what her problem with us are." He told the helmet.

"Maybe I'll get the full story someday. But now? I'm off to war again." He shook his head. He remembered the team that he first served on and his greatest mistake.

"I just want to let each and every one of you:" He started to say, remembering them all: Hunter Squad, the 237th, and other units like the 598th Assault Regiment and the 93rd Galactic Marines Regiment, and finally, the last unit he served with that had casualties: Alpha Company of the 3401st Infantry Battalion. He touched his back in thought. So many lives lost: so _many_ dead. More than two thousand and five hundred names: a quarter of which had been an entire battalion of men that were wiped out to the last man on a world far from their ocean-covered home... in streets clogged with chemical smoke that killed them all in a very violent manner.

He remembered _all_ of their deaths actually. Most nights, he didn't both to try to get some sleep as he tended to still have those same nightmares as a child along with that of his comrades. He looked at the helmet with sorrow.

"I'm sorry." He told them, his voice breaking. He hoped his voice would reach deep into the Force.

"It should've been me all those times that I fought." He said.

"Odin: I should've gone down there before you all; like I should've."

"I should've taken care of those..." His mind became filled with the images of those red-eyed demons that killed his first pod.

"Those damned things," He said, his tears falling down his cheeks.

"I should've killed them all and then had you come down." He said.

"I'm sorry that I let Almira tell us that we were to be the first unit in, guys." He said, the direction of his voice going to another group.

"If anything, I should've suggested someone else take our place." He said aloud. Bitter regret and sorrow filled him as he recalled the painful memories of the deaths of his clones. Their bodies came to mind yet again. And yet again, he wished he had taken their place.

He changed into his armor and then looked at the icon on his shoulder pad: the old symbol for Hunter squad. Underneath his helmet, he looked at it with remembrance and his head dipped as he whispered one last sentence to the righteous dead.

"I'll be with you all again, someday. I promise." His head then bolted upright as he felt something stir in the Force, a massive stirring: as if something had been awakened from slumber. He turned around, his eyes scanning for anything unusual. Nothing that he could see.

He then made a mental note not to do anything so stupid as to raise the dead. He heard scary stories about what happened.


	33. Chapter 33: It's a Piece of Junk!

Chapter 33

 **(A/N: Sorry for a long chapter with no action whatsoever!)**

He had waited by the docks for Professor/Uncle Ozpin in his Clone Commando armor. It was still night. It reminded him of two or three missions he did with Hunter Squad in the first year of the war. He smiled as he recalled waking up in the middle of the night by Master Almira and then getting a ride over to the Republic Army Compound, and attend a briefing. Of course, the usual questions were asked: what's going on? What's the objective/mission? Where was the mission going to be? What were the enemy numbers? That sort of thing. Everything that a soldier had to ask before going on a mission.

In the military, knowledge was power when you knew about the enemy, such as where their strengths and weaknesses were. However, and very strangely, Republic intelligence was faulty more than eighty percent of the time, as if there was a large batch of bad informants or incompetence. Now that he thought about it: was there the possibility that there were more moles in the Republic than anyone believed? There had been a huge number of Jedi casualties for the past three years back home. He had to wonder where Dooku was getting his sources.

He grunted at the memory of Dooku. He couldn't believe he forgot his oath of vengeance against that old bastard! He cursed that thrice-damned traitor for his actions. Then, he stopped himself. Dooku had been a former Jedi. He remembered reading about what made him leave. But, why did he join the Sith? Not only that, but why would he actually _approve_ of the same kind of actions that made him want to leave? The hypocrisy of the man. If Qui-Gon Jinn hadn't died, the old fool would've had some sense talked into him. Or another darker alternative would've happened.

He looked up at the moon. He never really remembered Qui-Gon, but Master Obi-Wan Kenobi talked about him along with Anakin Skywalker when he was an apprentice. They made it sound like the man was a God almost. However, he later learned that Qui-Gon was always insubordinate to the Council for some reason. Maybe, he had different views? He had nearly been thrown out of the order once or twice before if he recalled.

In a way, Qui-Gon would've possibly been like Master Bell. His face fell as he thought about Master Bellophoron. The Jedi had been pretty much a father to him before he died. He remembered the missions they had together, the lessons that he learned from him like his lessons on Hutteese and Mandalorian, along with Shyriiwook. Master Bellophoron had been insistent that Artyr learn as much as he could in order to understand people's cultures.

'There is no ignorance, only knowledge' The Code had said. Clearly, there actually was in respect to the discriminations back home. Master Bell had been called names on several missions for his species and his appearance. He had tried to defend him so many times, but Master Bell would always hold him back.

 _'It takes courage not to fight back in the face of discrimination. If you used violence against violence, hate-against-hate'_ Master Bell told him after a heated exchange with a merchant on Corellia. _'You would only continue the cycle. Try learning the other person's perspective one day.'_ Of course, that mission was before the Battle of Geonosis. And he never even bothered to consider Dooku's point of view until now... in fact, he never considered the Sith point of view until about half a month ago.

Then, he heard the heavy footsteps of someone in armor as well as sensed the presence of someone familiar. He turned around to see a strange sight. A man in blue armor stood behind him. His helmet was winged and a visor like that of primitive feudal knights, but with a bit of a more... 'modern' look to it. The light from the visor glowed green but the rest of the armor was blue. The armor had some kind of sigil over it. It was a white-tailed bird with some kind of knot in its center. Artyr tilted his head, he had never seen such a design before. And the way that armor looked: that kind of design had never been used in a long time not since both the primitive feudal knights of certain worlds and of course, the armor was also like that when there were Jedi Lords running around.

But the sigil was very curious. He had never seen that kind of bird or that kind of knot before.

"Uncle Oz... what are you wearing?" The young man asked, slinging his blaster over his shoulder. He heard a chuckle as Uncle Oz shook his helmeted head.

"I made this armor a very long time ago, about say- two-three thousand years ago?" He said, thinking.

"Sometimes I tend to forget, only to remember later in my case." Ozpin explained, shrugging.

"Too long," Uncle Oz said, sadly. He then looked up and put a hand on Artyr's shoulder.

"As it has been too long since I last laid eyes on a Sym." He said, happily. Artyr then saw something very familiar on his uncle's hip.

"Uncle Oz... is that what I think it is?" Artyr asked, pointing at it. He could hear his grand-uncle smile under his helm as he spoke.

"Yes, Artyr: I was trained to become a Knight like your ancestors by the first of them all." He said

"'Knights of Remnant' we called ourselves in the days before Salem's rise as an enemy." Ozma said, reminiscing.

"There may be so again since you're founding a new order. Whereas in my time, it had been only two: myself and Adam." Ozma said. Artyr looked at him in shock. Uncle Oz was trained to be a Jedi?!

"No, I don't have Force powers like yourself or even my adoptive father. The people here before what happened with Salem were born with magic in addition to Semblances.

"So, when does that airship arrive? It's like-eleven or twelve at night right now." Artyr asked, looking out across the sea towards Vale.

"It's coming right now," Ozpin said, holding up his scroll and tapped a button. Artyr looked at him with wonder. Just what did he just do?

Out of the sky from the direction of Vale came a small craft that wasn't exactly sleek, but it was bulky. It also looked... _wait_... that design looked like an earlier model of a YT series of the Corellian Engineering Corporation from back home. It could fly through the atmosphere no question... but he was more concerned about how it held up when it flew through the vacuum of space. It landed on the dock with a soft thud.

"It's a piece of junk!" Artyr blurted. Uncle Oz cleared his throat and the young man looked at the 'Knight of Remnant'. His grand-uncle clearly had a look of disapproval under his helmet. The small yet flyable airship or whatever the heck it was, as to Artyr it looked more like it could've been used for smuggling in the Outer Rim for all he knew) looked like it was about to fall apart with one swing from a hammer.

"That' piece of junk' was designed by your great-grandfather- Marcus Sym... the 43rd." Ozpin told him flatly. Artyr blinked at the '43rd' part.

"Just how many of my family came here again?" He asked slowly.

"If it wasn't for that five hundred year gap in your universe? Probably close to every one of the thousand generations of the Jedi order." Ozpin told him. Artyr blinked as he whispered 'By the Force'.

"I know it doesn't look like much," The ancient warrior said. Artyr saw it up close as he walked alongside him. It had that round 'YT' shape, but the front of it had no nose. Artyr wondered why that was.

"But, Marcus was a genius when it came to building and designing airships and other technological wonders when we set out to stop the Great War all those years ago." Ozpin said. The ex-Jedi looked at Oz as the ramp for the ship lowered.

"Wait... you and my great-grandfather were the ones that brought the war to its end?!" He said in surprise as they walked onboard. Uncle Oz laughed in response.

"Why, yes, we were. Though, it took a great deal of convincing and favors to do for each of the four kingdoms. But, yes, eventually: both of us wound up suggesting to the four kingdoms to meet on neutral ground: specifically Vytal."

"Hence, the Vytal Treaty and the Vytal Festival!" Artyr realized. So, Uncle Oz really did have his hand in the War's end alongside his own family. What else did they do?! Then he remembered that he had an ancestor that was there at the Tythonian Civil War that resulted in the founding of the Jedi Order, the Hundred Year Darkness, the Jedi Civil War, and so many other famous events in history.

He looked around at the interior. It was cramped to say the least and there wasn't much room for entertainment, but there was at the very least a kitchen, or rather, what could pass for a kitchen. There was a very primitive flat screen television hanging on a wall with a combined quarters for about four with bunk beds.

"Did you do this all the time with Great-Grandpa Marcus?" Artyr asked, looking around. Somehow, he was reminded of the _Ebon Hawk_ , the famous former flagship of a now-long-defunct Exchange boss named Davik, which got stolen during the Bombardment of Taris by none other than Revan and his party.

"No, actually. It was one of the rarer times after your ancestor (my adopted father, mind you) disappeared for good, in which I finally got to be able to do field missions again. For the longest time, I've been fighting in the shadows against Salem and her minions, playing the role of 'field marshal' for my people." Ozpin said.

"And just what do you call yourselves, actually? I'm curious as to what you call your group?"

"Just 'the Group'," Ozpin told him. Artyr frowned. There had to be more to it than that. They then went to the cockpit which was flat on the front of the ship.

"Why in the heck is the cockpit flat in terms of width?" The ex-Jedi asked as he took what was assumedly the co-pilot's seat. Ozpin looked at him underneath his helmet. Artyr looked back up at him in question.

"What?"

"You're in my chair," Ozpin told him flatly. The ex-Padawan sighed and got out of the chair.

"Hey, did Mom give you hell for bringing me along this crazy ride to go get my brother?" Artyr asked as he sat down in the other chair.

"Well, yes." Ozpin replied as he sat down with a sigh.

"She was quite distraught over her firstborn going 'off to war again'." Ozpin said, sadly. Artyr sighed.

"This sure as hell isn't the war," He muttered, angrily.

"If the Separatists were in orbit above your skies with droids marching through the streets: that would be the war."

"And yet, they're not. But Salem is here and she fights in the shadows." Uncle Oz told him.

"I thought you two would get along just fine after what she told you the other day," Oz said, looking at him as he finished his final checks on the airship.

"I'm still getting used to the fact that this is my homeworld and my Mom's from here, but my Dad's from back on Coruscant."

"Actually, you were probably born on the homeworld of your people." Oz said, matter-of-fact. Artyr looked at him.

"Were you ever there at my birth? Or my brothers'?" He asked.

"No," Oz said, stopping. He said the next phrase softly.

"I was never there for any of your births. Not your father, grand-father, or others before him. If anything, the only person who possibly would've been present at my birth was Adam." Oz said. He looked at him.

"It's funny: your mother, to me, was the luckiest woman alive: she got to see where your people live... but she never fully described it as she never told us all until we started noticing her attitude around you." Ozpin said.

"So, she never told anyone about me or my brothers at all?" Artyr asked for clarification.

"No," He said, shaking his head.

"And quite frankly: that's raising no small amount of concern. Your father was supposed to be honorable like others of his line, though I do remember persons of gray area morality in the distant past." Oz explained.

"When Father came here, I thought he was the most wonderful being in creation:" He said, with a smile heard in his voice as he looked out across the starry sky.

"He told me of the wonders of the universe: things that no human had ever known before: of other worlds beyond the sky, of galaxies, strange alien races, and other such things." Ozma said, looking up at the sky.

"I actually tried talking Marcus into making this technology a part of Remnant's space program: a sign that we could very well possibly reach the stars as well like Adam's people before what happened to them and so many others that he met and saw." Ozpin said. He laughed.

"Marcus shot me down, as usual, over it. He told me that doing so would cause a great list of unforeseen events that could threaten Remnant itself. So, out of respect: I didn't take this 'piece of junk' over to Atlas or any of the other kingdoms' science ministries." He then looked at Artyr.

"Besides, this thing can't go into hyperdrive!" He said, happily.

"Well, there goes my one hope of going back to Coruscant." Artyr mockingly groaned, remembering the conversation he had last month with Qrow, Uncle Oz, and Mom.

His ancestral uncle laughed. He never heard him do that before.

"Back on your father: I never thought that he would do such a thing: take his own children away from their mother and then give them away to other cultures, including the Jedi Order. I thought the family would be more honorable at that!" Oz said with a tone of bitter anger. He felt the ship rumble beneath them as he heard the landing gear get back into its proper sheaths.

"When I was raised by Adam, I knew him to do no such thing! Hell, I don't think he even knew about Abel when he disappeared again!" He shook his head as the ship took off. Artyr looked at his uncle as he spoke of his ancestor: Adam Sym, one of the first Jedi to have ever lived and a survivor of whatever cataclysm took his homeworld... where did his people live now? What was it called? What were his parent race called? What was their language? So many questions about his family origins.

"You loved him a lot didn't you? My ancestor?" Artyr asked, slowly.

"Of course I did! He raised me since I was eight years old and trained me to become a knight like himself!" Oz said, looking at him with his helm.

"I couldn't use the Force, but I did have magic on my side. Almost every human on this world could do it without dust in those days." Uncle Oz explained.

"Back then, people were more of a challenge for the two of us than whatever he faced back on Tython!" He then paused.

"Well, not true, actually. He admitted to me that there never was such a thing like Grimm where he was from.. or on Tython afterwards."

"Do you know how he came here? What he did before he got to Remnant? I have a lot of questions about it all." Artyr told him before taking off of his helmet. Oz pushed some buttons as a holomap appeared over his controls. A dotted line appeared on it.

"I put this thing on autopilot. We'll be there in about half-a-day." He said. Artyr blinked as Uncle Oz spoke while taking off his helmet.

"Like I said: no hyperdrive." Ozpin grinned.

"Can this thing fly in space?"

"We only flew in atmosphere because that's what it's designed for. Reason why it's so slow is because Marcus had some limited materials to work with and back then..." Uncle Oz shrugged.

"We just talked along the way," He then looked at Artyr with a smile as he looked at his grandnephew.

"Which is what we're going to do the whole way _unless_ you want to listen to this," He said, producing a strange looking scroll from his pocket. The ex-Jedi took it and looked at it. It looked worn and the paint was faded, down to the bare chrome that wasn't shining. It had a glass front and a button with a square in it's center.

"Y'know for about two thousand or more years after he disappeared, I had to use lightning and energy dust crystals to power that thing. I also made sure that no one got their hands on it as it's one of the few things I have left of Father." Oz said softly as he crossed his arms.

"What is this?" Artyr asked, inspecting it. He turned it over. Whatever name it had long since faded.

"He called it a 'iphone'. He said that it's used on another world for watching movies, listening to music, and even reading books. He never said how he got it." Ozpin explained.

"How do I turn it on?" His nephew asked.

"There's a button at the very top of it on the right corner." Uncle Oz explained. Artyr found it immediately and pressed it. The screen turned on and a strange logo appeared of an apple with a bite in it. Then, it turned into some kind of password protection screen.

"070644," Oz told him. Artyr looked up at him.

"That's the password," He said. Artyr pressed in the password and was met with a screen of various logos on them, strange ones, including one with a music app.

"What are these things?" He asked, showing Oz as the ship took off to its destination. Oz smiled.

"Adam called them 'apps' short for 'applications'. He said that each one has a specific function. They're all labeled so the user knows what to look for. Adam's favorite apps were 'ibooks' and 'music'." Uncle Oz told him.

"Huh," The ex-Jedi-said.

"Also, it enlarges to fit the user's hand." The immortal added. Artyr looked at him with a questioning eyebrow.

"Don't look at me. I only know what Adam told me." Uncle Oz said, raising his hands in self-defense.

Adam clicked on music and frowned. His knowledge of English was growing thanks to lessons from Blake and Yang, as well as others who took turns. In return, he taught Blake Basic and other languages that he knew. He saw that there was a jack for something to go into the 'iphone'. He looked at Oz.

"Hey, was this supposed to come with something else?"

"Yeah, headphones, but your Dad was a dick and took them with him and I have no idea what any Sym after him would've liked... which means that you get to decide since I gave it to you." Uncle Ozpin said, smiling.

"Go ahead, play something." He told him. "You're sixteen, Art. You deserve to be a teenager after what you suffered." He explained with a look of a father. Artyr looked at him and then at the device and pressed the music app. There was a crap ton of songs on this thing under genres like 'metal' 'rap' 'country' 'classical' 'soundtracks' and others. One was labeled 'Adam's Favs'. Artyr frowned. He pressed that tab and saw a long list of song titles he never so much as heard before. He then noticed the first song at the top was something called _'Take Me Home (Country Roads)_ by someone named 'John Denvers'. He pressed it and immediately a strange beat filled the air.

It sounded like an electric guitar without the electric part of it that followed feet taps. The beat was slow followed by a melody that felt beautiful with a young human's voice singing. He sounded mid to late twenties standard by his reckoning. Oz smiled softly as he leaned back in his chair as he listened to it, as though he was remembering something.

"He played a lot of songs like this: ones with wooden guitars and flutes, and even stuff that sounded like it came out of Mystral." Ozpin commented smiling.

"He said they reminded him of home: _every last song_ on that thing." He added, pointing at it. Artyr looked down.

"I don't know if that thing came from his homeworld or not, but he had it with him all the time except the night that-" He started to say and then stopped himself. A pained and hurt expression came across his face. The nephew to the immortal looked at him with worry.

"Uncle Oz? What happened to Adam? Do you know?" He asked. Oz's eyes looked at him and he saw fear and pain in those eyes. He also saw worry and hurt in them. He sighed as he rubbed them.

"I didn't want anyone to know the truth about a lot of things, even those of the Group." Oz confessed.

"I had a wife and four kids in my second incarnation." He said, honestly.

"It looked just like my first body, but the hair was white." He gestured to his own white hair.

"This was after the gods had sent me back to Remnant and tasked me with uniting humanity and the four relics." He sighed. "And after I died when I got a bad case of the flu that no healer could get me out of, not even herbal remedies would work." He added. Artyr blinked and looked at him as he spoke, tilting his head. What the kriff was he saying?!

"Father had left me to do my own things as he said that I was ready to be on my own without his aid." Ozpin explained.

"My name back then wasn't Ozpin: it was _Ozma_." Then, Ozpin's eyes flashed green as did his whole body.

The voice was definitely that of Ozpin, but it sounded really strange like it was someone else talking.

'Y'see, Artyr. Ozma and I share the same body: two souls in one body. That's how it's been for him and others with the same kind of mind." Ozpin explained. Artyr tilted his head as he blinked. The ship was heading for Atlas and here he was with some kind of... possessed dude?!

He jerked his head back as he raised an eyebrow while making a face.

 _"WHAT. THE. FUCK?!"_ He shouted in response. The eyes flashed green and a look of anger flashed across Ozpin/Ma/whatever's eyes.

 _"Artyr Merlyn Sym-Goodwitch!"_ The voice came back as that of the usual Ozma as he lectured using the boy's full name.

"You know better than to cuss!" Uncle Oz lectured.

"I understand you're a bit confused and upset," Ozpin began as Artyr cut him off in shock.

"What the hell are you?! A demon?! Is my real uncle a demon or something?" Artyr asked, exasperated and confused.

"No, I'm not a demon." Uncle Oz sighed, looking up at the sky.

"Then what the hell are you?!" Artyr asked, looking at him in horror. Ozpin looked at him guiltily.

"Probably should've kept this to myself until you married Lira," He said, woefully.

"You said you're my Uncle!"

"I am!" Ozpin barked, pointing to himself.

"The thing is: My soul goes to another person and combines with a like-minded soul when the previous body dies and the soul usually has the first part of the name 'Oz' in front of it. Ozpin is this body's name." Ozpin/ Ozma said.

"Again: What the fuck?!" Artyr said hysterical as he breathed heavily. Ozpin/ma sighed.

"This is going to be a _long_ story." He said, rubbing his eyes.


	34. Chapter 34: Explain Yourself Ozma Part I

Chapter 34

 _(A/N: So, I would like to credit Raider Echo Four Quebec for help on this Chapter as well. He's also working on stories of his own with E-Tacito whom is the author of 'Fireteam of Idiots'. I'd check it out as Raider Echo Four Quebec also has two stories of his own. So, I'd like you all to check them out.)_

You have to understand, this is a very painful subject for me. If everyone else found out? I'd be screwed. Not everyone in your family knew this. But, your father did. And your father's father, and his father before him. I have watched each and every one of your ancestors come here to this world and then all of a sudden disappear, and I never saw them again. Ever. I have no idea what happened to them. The only ones that I know of that actually came back to Remnant were Adam and Aogust.

Adam liked to change his name to disguise himself: Adaham, Abram, that sort of thing. He said his real first name was Adam, and that his last name used be longer but also weird to a lot of people, so he shortened it.

Father raised me after my parents were killed in an attack on my homeland. He raised me as a semi-Jedi Knight in retrospect. I didn't have the Force, but I did use magic. In fact, if I joined the Jedi, I would've been the only magical Jedi from Remnant in its history, in retrospect. He raised me as best as he could.

We had great times together not just as Master and Apprentice, but as father and son. He said he had a brother and a sister but he hadn't seen them in over a hundred years. And his own parents had been killed the day he left his homeworld. So, he saw me as a sort of family that he never saw himself as having, but ended up having anyway.

When I was about twenty-two, after he finally let me drink alcohol; he told me had to leave. He didn't say why or how long, but he did tell me that he was going to be back for me someday. Initially, I was okay with it. But, as time passed, I yearned for his guidance more and more. Especially after I saw what happened to Salem. I made a name for myself for about ten years, I think? Was it ten or twelve years? I can't remember now. Anyway, the point is: I was known as the Knight of Remnant along with 'Great and Powerful'. Yes, I know, it sounds funny.

I started hearing rumors and tales of a young woman who had been imprisoned in a tower of a castle by her own father. For what purpose, I could only guess at. The battle had me use both my blade and my magic to clear the area. It was pretty much a fairy tale, only for me it was all too real.

When I reached the top of the tower, hoping to the Gods that she was still alive: I found her in her room that was kept lock and key tight. I don't know how she was fed or still alive for all those years, but she was sitting in a chair, probably either debating what to do or not. She stood up as soon as she walked in. And man, I should tell you: before she became a red-eyed demon-witch: She was a beautiful blonde-haired blue-eyed woman that wore a gray striped robe. She had a cute bun on top of her blonde hair.

Of course, had I known what happened in the future: I would've shut the door and walked out of that mess! Let someone else deal with her crazy ass! Instead: I smiled and told her.

"Hi, my name is Ozma Sym. I'm a Knight of Remnant and I'm here to rescue you." I held out my hand for her to grab it. She looked at me and smiled. She took it and we ran as fast as we could, fighting off the castle's defenders. And let me tell you: Her father was some mage! he had enchanted empty suits of armor to be a pain in both of our asses for the entire day. It was morning when I arrived at that place. I don't know if it's still standing, but I believe it should be nothing but rubble by now.

We ran out of there like bats out of proverbial hell and when we got out there, we were tired. I panted as I looked at her.

"So, what do I do now?" She asked me as she looked at me.

"Whatever you want," I told her, smiling. Of course, I saw her fighting with her magic. She was definitely going to be better than her father, I knew. But, I didn't realize how better... or how worse. So, we were friends at first and later lovers.

XXX

Artyr at this point nearly lost his shit.

 _"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! YOU LOVED SALEM!? AS IN YOU WERE HER FUCKING BOYFRIEND?!"_ He yelled at his uncle in disbelief. Oz grimaced and shrunk before his nephew's gaze.

He sheepishly chuckled.

 _"TELL ME YOU DIDN"T FUCK HER TOO!"_ Artyr said, getting in his face. Ozma looked at him in shock.

 _"TELL ME YOU DIDN"T STICK YOUR DICK IN CRAZY?!"_ Artyr repeated. Ozma shook his head.

" _Worse:_ She had my children," Ozma said the magic words. Artyr's jaw dropped at this as he imagined children running around with white hair, red eyes with black sclera, and veins all over their arms and up to their eyes as they played with man-eating Grimm.

 _"OH MY OMNIPRESENT FORCE!"_ He roared to the ceiling. He grabbed his head and nearly pulled out his hair. He couldn't believe this bullshit! There was no fucking way that the same Salem that he had known in his visions, much less heard about: was actually his long-lost adopted Uncle's wife and therefore: his aunt!

He imagined himself meeting her at a family get-together.

 _'Oh, hey Aunt Salem! What are you up to?'_ he imagined himself saying.

 _'Meh, taking over the world. You know how it is.'_ He imagined her saying or very much glaring at him with those demonic red eyes of her.

He looked at his uncle in shock, fear and horror.

 _"WHY?!"_ He asked with questioning eyes. Ozma sighed.

"I was in love with her before she turned into what she is now." He explained.

"You fucked the woman who's got a grudge against the entire family!" Artyr accused.

"Well, more so she's mad at me, and just sees the rest of the family as accomplices to her suffering." Ozma said, wisely. Artyr gave him the evil eye.

"Come again?"

XXX

We planned a lot of adventures together and we did indeed marry. However, six months after we married: I got sick and it was either the flu or pneumonia after that time I gave her my coat during winter. It was before medical science and no healer could cure me. Not even old remedies would work. As I got worse, Salem did everything she could to heal me: prayers, though it was obvious the Gods didn't answer them right (in her eyes). I told her that I wanted to see my father again before I died and she went off to ask the God of Light where he was. I remembered that the last word that I spoke as I died of pain was 'Father'. I remembered my world going black and not much else.

I remember waking up in some place dark with Salem cradling me in my arms. I looked around, frightened like a child, like I had a nightmare.

 _"Where am I?! What is this?! Where's Adam? Where's Father?!"_ I asked, scared shitless. Salem tried to comfort me.

"It's okay! You're going to be fine." She said, touching my face as tears streamed down her cheeks. I then turned my head as a flash of light appeared and the God of Light himself stood on a stairway leading to where I was.

What have you done?" A voice said. I turned my head to see the God of Light. I heard a much deeper voice retort and there was a bit of an argument with no raised voices. Eventually the God of Light raised his hand and promptly disintegrated me. I felt myself get put back together about twice then disintegrated. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Oh trust me: it gets good when I tell you this next bit:

It turned out that Salem went to the God of Light while I died, which she didn't know happened, and asked the God where Adam was. In her own words: That son of a bitch didn't even know much less tell me where your Father was, the prick! And he's supposed to be a God!'

She came back home and found me dead. After burying me, she went back to the God of Light and asked him if he could bring me back as my own father hadn't shown up from wherever he was. The God of Light, of course, refused; citing the balance of life and death and teleported her out of there right as he told her to 'let me go'. So, she went to the God of Darkness.

In those days, no one ever went to the God of Darkness for obvious reasons: He was the God of anti-life. He created the Grimm for Heaven's sake! Of course, she was obsessed with getting me back when she clearly could've just gotten over my death. Do you know what this bitch then did? She went to the God of Darkness in the middle of his land which had a pool of 'Darkness' in it. Whereas the pool in the Land of Light brought immortality and such; the Pool of Destruction? Not so much as it spawned Grimm. and killed anyone or changed people as soon as you so much as immersed yourself. The God of Darkness heard my wife's pleas, but she didn't tell him that she had gone to his brother beforehand. And let me tell you: that is one conniving bitch if she does that to a God just for her lover. Points to her for bringing me back, points taken away plus an ass-kicking for getting me disintegrated several times! Shit hurt like Hell but I still remember it!

The aforementioned incident happened and she wound up getting tossed into the Lake of Life, turning her into an immortal until the day the world ended in which she finally learned the values of life and death. In anger, she cursed the Gods and wound up trying to kill herself in as many ways as she could: poison, decapitation, wrist-slitting, you name it, she did it.

XXX

Artyr stared at his ancestral uncle in shock. You could hear a pin drop in the silence.

"She did _all_ of them?! _Every_ way to kill yourself?!" He asked for clarification. Ozpin slowly nodded with a sad expression. Artyr shook his head in horror as his mouth was open.

"Aunt Salem's batshit crazy!" He said, shocked.

"It got worse after that," Uncle Oz told him with a sad expression.

XXX

It pains me to talk about this. I had no idea as to what lengths she would go to bring me back to her. But, I must admit: it was pretty damn selfish as I thought about her. But, I also knew, that I had a duty to my creators.

Then, she had an idea: one of the worst ones she could have. The idea was that if she could turn the Gods against each other, then she could turn humanity against their creators and gain their powers for themselves or something like that. Alternatively, she could've made the Gods themselves bow to her wishes. A scary thought, indeed.

She went to every kingdom on this world and convinced each and every ruler to rebel against their creators. Then, a massive rebellion was undertook. The whole world's armies stormed the Land of Light where the Gods were conferring that day. The Gods didn't take kindly to this... or rather, the God of Darkness. He was pissed when he found out that the humans used magic against him and promptly wiped every last human being off of the face of the planet with Salem left as the last living human on the planet. And the moon got shattered when the God of Darkness left this world. He was quite frankly pissed about what happened.

She cursed everyone and blamed everyone else for what happened except for herself and then, in a last ditch attempt to kill herself to spite the Gods, she jumped into the Land of Darkness's pool and came out a bit like what she is now. The Pool of Destruction didn't kill her, but rather corrupted her further. She turned into something like a Grimm but in human form.

XXX

"What the fuck?! If she's the last, then how in the hell are you and everyone else alive (besides Aunt Salem) and breathing?!" Artyr asked in confusion.

"I was getting to that," Uncle Oz told him.

XXX

While I was dead, I met the God of Light in the 'Realm between Realms'. He had a task for me. I was to unite humanity and therefore show the Gods that we could overcome our differences and the Gods would live with us again. To summon them back, they created the four relics of Knowledge, Creation, Destruction, and Choice. Each had the aforementioned powers. Combine all four and if humanity was united and at peace: the Gods live amongst us. But if we're not? The entire planet will be wiped literally from existence. There will be no third chance.

But what they didn't tell me was what actually happened or if they would give me back my old body. But, they told me that I would have help.

It was in that realm between realms, for the first time in so long: I finally met Adam again. He was wearing strange battle armor that I had never seen before. He still had his brown hooded robe and lightsaber, but the armor that he wore was metallic and he didn't have his tunic held in his hand a strange weapon that I never saw before. Now that I think about it now, since it's been so long, I believe it was some kind of sleek assault rifle with a scope I never saw before.

I saw his surprised expression as soon as he saw me which quickly gave me at first shock, confusion, and then utter joy.

 **"Ozma?"** He asked, confused as he stood in shock, lowering his massive weapon that he held in his hands. He looked a bit older than I had last seen him, having gained at the very least the starting signs of crow's feet around his eyes that were completely bluish-green. I saw the confusion in his own eyes and he smiled a big smile.

We hugged as we had not seen eachother in ten years for me. How long it was for him, I could only guess at. I may never realize how long it had been for him as he embraced me for about a half hour. He kissed my forehead as he asked me how I was with tears in his eyes.

I was about to tell him when the God of Light interrupted us. We both turned as we spoke.

 _"Adam Sym, I was telling your son about a task that must be completed for us as we have decided to leave the world now known as 'Remnant'. We ask that you aid your son as you two share a close bond beyond time itself it would seem."_ The God of Light told him.

Adam looked at him and then at me. I saw his frown as he realized something was up.

Then, the God of Darkness appeared before us.

 **"It is good to see you again, Jedi Master Sym. It has been AGES, since we last spoke."** He said with a laugh. Adam sighed.

 **"Might I ask why in all of creation you have dragged me from my current fight to here? Hell, where is this place?!"** Adam asked, looking around.

 _'This is the realm between realms, Master Jedi."_

 **"I am Jedi no longer as I have decided to act with emotion,"** Adam declared. I looked at him in shock. How could he do such a thing?! He told me he had and would always faithfully serve the Order!

 **"I am first and foremost, this boy's father. And as such, I will happily help him in whatever trouble he has gotten himself into."** Adam told the gods as he spoke.

 **"Need we remind you, Adam Sym, of your true occupation? Your true goal?"** The God of Darkness spoke with no emotion but obviously he sounded gleeful as he spoke.

 **"And what of your line, hmm? What shall they become in later years?"**

 **"I know of no other children besides Ozma!"** Adam roared at the God of Darkness. Said God chuckled in response. Adam glared at the God of Darkness.

 **"What is the task that you have given my son? What is it?"** Adam asked, looking at both of them.

 _"We request that your son unite humankind into one nation so that we may return to Remnant."_

 **"And why have you left Remnant?"** Adam asked, crossing both arms after holstering his weapon.

 **"Wouldn't you like to know?"** The God of Darkness asked with sarcasm.

 **"What's that supposed to mean?"** Adam asked, confused.

 _"It means that something terrible has happened that caused us to leave. Your son, as he is in fact, a Knight of Remnant and one of the greatest heroes of this age, will speed our return by uniting humanity. To summon us back, there are four relics: each of the attributes of Knowledge, Destruction, Creation, and Choice. Each have the powers of each attribute. When all four are gathered together, we shall appear. If humanity is united and therefore over its differences: we shall once again live amongst them as we did before. If not…"_ The God of Light said.

 **"Then we shall wipe away this world with every last living thing from existence."** The God of Darkness finished for him. Adam stood with his mouth agape. He slowly turned his head to me and then looked back at the Gods. I too was shocked as well. Both of our mouths were wide open.

 **"You're kidding right?"** Adam nervously chuckled.

 **"Everyone? No 'saving the righteous people still with you'? No 'restarting the world with the good people'?"** Adam asked for clarification as his eye twitched.. I had never before heard him so unnerved by that prospect. The Gods looked at him.

 **"It is what it will be,"** They both said, simultaneously.

 **"FOR KRIFF'S SAKE! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU CAN'T JUST DO THAT!"** He roared at them in the loudest voice I had ever heard him speak in. He shouted at them like they were unruly teenagers.

The twin Gods looked at him.

 _"Please stop swearing, it greatly offends us,"_ The God of Light said to him calmly.

 **"Shut up, Adam Sym!"** The God of Darkness said back at him as he pointed at the alien. Adam jerked his head back in shock as if stung and the God of Light facepalmed.

 **"We are giving you a chance to reunite with your adopted son for the first time in forever and you are just going to yell and curse at us? Even though we're doing you a favor?"** The God of Darkness asked.

 **"'Favor'?! You two are killing off your own sons and daughters if they don't play nice! Your own creations! Just like that!"** Adam said, snapping his fingers.

 **"And all because if they're not united! Do you even realize how hard that is?! Uniting an entire planet of people?! Didn't I tell you two what happened to those that tried to unite a world or played God while doing so?!"** He then gestured to me.

 **" I even told my own son what happens when you pull that shit!"** Adam yelled, pointing a hand to me.

 **"We have decided what we decided, Adam Sym. Nothing more. Nothing less."** The God of Darkness firmly retorted.

Adam sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

 **"These relics… what do they look like?"** He asked. Immediately, they appeared before us. He saw the Crown of Choice, the Lamp of Knowledge, the Sword of Destruction, and the Staff of Creation.

 **"And all four of these have great power?"** He said, shaking his head in disbelief. He sighed as he muttered something about 'Infinity Stones' or something.

 **"So, you won't be summoned if three of them are together?"** He asked aloud.

 _ **"No,"** _Both of the Gods answered.

 **"But someone would cause a great deal of good or harm, depending on that person's disposition."** The God of Light added. Adam sighed.

 **"For him to unite humanity, there are several things to bear in mind: a common enemy and a common goal."** Adam lectured the two.

 **"You dare lecture us?!"** The God of Darkness said, angrily. Adam grinned at this.

 **"Listing the various ways my son could do so: besides, it's for his education."** Adam said, jerking a thumb at me.

 **"First of all: common enemy: That's your Grimm, Lord of Darkness."** Adam said, pointing at him.

 **"A good counterbalance to Humanity, I say."** The God of Darkness said. Adam laughed.

 **"But, you're forgetting that if enough Grimm are born: they're going to kill every last man, woman, and child. Now, there's human enemies and then there are…"** He paused as he looked at me before adding **"Let's just say there are external threats and leave it at that."**

 _"He is of age to understand, Adam."_ The God of Light said as they all noted my confusion.

 **"There are some things I'll tell him when he's able to understand. And I'll tell him on my terms. I'd rather not have to tell him about the things that go bump in the night that I've had to face on pretty much a daily basis until I feel he's ready."** He said.

"I'm thirty-two, Father! I can handle it!" I yelled at him in anger. He spun towards me.

 **"You're thirty-two?!"** He yelled, shocked.

 **"How long have I been gone?!"** He asked the twin Gods.

 **"Oh, we're not saying anything right now."** The God of Darkness refused his question with a grin heard in his voice.

 **"Our question is still the same: Will you aid your son, Adam Sym, former Master of the Jedi Order?"** The God of Light asked. Adam gritted his teeth before looking at me. He sighed as he looked at my eyes.

 **"Ozma,"** he began.

 **"Give me your right hand,"** He said, grabbing a knife from a sheathe on his belt. The Gods looked tilted their heads at him.

 _ **"What are you doing?"** _They asked, a bit worried.

 **"You want me to help him or not? This shows how serious I am,"** Adam snapped at them. . The Gods looked at eachother with an unreadable expression.

"You're committing a blood oath. Such a thing is very, very serious." The God of Light warned. I looked at Adam in shock. 'Blood Oath'?! Just what in the hell was he going to cut off?!' I remember thinking.

 **"Oh, this is going to be fun."** His dark brother said, interested.

 **"You want to know how serious I am? I'm doing it right now."** Adam told them both, glaring more at the God of Darkness. He looked at me.

 **"I'm not telling you again: Extend your hand."** Adam told me. I looked at him in shock. Did he have any idea how insane what he was doing such a thing?! He told me such things were dangerous and had been used by certain cultures to show how serious of an oath it was. Other forms of the Blood Oath actually resulted in deaths in certain secret societies he heard. I hoped neither of us would suffer the same fate as those he talked about.

I extended my right hand. Adam took his own right hand. I noticed something odd about the blade. It was of some kind of metal with purple veins through it. It was short by Adam's standards: the size of a small child. He proceeded to actually cut his palm, his orange blood seeping from his palm as he cut it. He winced in pain and whispered something in a strange language.

He then gripped my own hand with his bleeding one. His massive hand overtook mine. I watched in horror as his own blood ran down my hand as he looked at me.

 **"Ozma, I'm doing this so that I can help you."** He told me with a worried look. He put his other hand on my shoulder. He looked at me with the eyes of love as he spoke softly. His blood poured down my hand and dripped onto the ground that we stood upon, staining the whiteness of it.

 **"I love you, son."** He told me, kissing my head. Then, he spoke aloud for all to hear.

 **" I swear I will do everything, and I literally mean everything I can possibly do to help you accomplish this goal of uniting humanity. If I myself cannot aid you, then those whom are born of my blood whether I know them or not shall aid you, down through the generations to for all time until your goal is accomplished or we fail. In that case, we shall do everything we can to make sure that at the very least a portion of the people of this world survive, though I myself may not."** He swore in a firm tone. At this the Gods looked at him with a strange, but interested look.

 **"I so swear this as a Last of the Old and the First of the New and as your father. So help me Deus."** He swore.

 _ **"We accept this oath, Adam and Ozma Sym: Father and Son, Knights of Remnant."**_ The two said as one.

 _"But take heed, the enemies you face will be most disheartening and troubling. Where you both find comfort, there shall be pain."_ The God of Light told us. Adam looked at the two in wonder and confusion as they spoke. 'What did they mean by this'?, we both wondered at what the God of Light said.

 _ **"We send you both back to whence you came."**_ The two Gods said.

 **"WHAT?!"** Father roared in surprise, his wound had healed.

 **"You're not taking me back! You faux God-impersonating sons of-!"** He said right as he disappeared in a flash from the God of Light. The God of Darkness chuckled.

 _"Now you too must go back, Ozma. But, know that your beloved Salem still lives though your world was destroyed."_ The God of Light told me.

 _"What?!"_ I shouted in shock. The God of Darkness laughed.

 **"Oh, this is so rich!"** He laughed.

"How?!" I asked in confusion and shock. His brother had just told me that the world had been destroyed by his (may they forgive me for saying this, but I'm being honest here) bastard brother!

"Oh, you will learn in time." The God of Darkness said, cryptically.

 _"But as I said before: where you find comfort, you shall find pain."_ The God of Light warned again.

 _ **"Go now and fulfill your duty to us."** _The Gods said as they waved their hand.

I remember a flash and I found myself... different. I found myself in a body that looked like mine, but it wasn't my own. In fact, it turned out they had put my soul in another man's body: Two souls in one body, each trying to control it. Or in certain cases: making a deal and control it together. The first thing I did was when I arrived back in the old body was to save a man that was attacked by a Grimm. I killed the Grimm, but realized that the world I was in wasn't the world I knew. Hell, I realized that the body I was in wasn't my own either.

My first night, I saw that the moon was shattered, humans couldn't use magic anymore, dust crystals were being mined and used instead of natural magic that Salem and I knew. I spent a few months looking for her. I found her out in the woods after hearing rumors of a black-robed witch that frightened and killed people that disturbed her. I felt that she could be Salem, mad with grief over my death.

She was in a broken two story house and I could feel the darkness of that place as I walked towards it. At first, we didn't recognize each other as both of us had changed. Her hair had gone... silver I think. She still had that cute hairstyle of a bun on top with her hair down her back. Her eyes were now red irises with black sclera and her robe was now black as was her cloak. Her skin was ashen pale. She didn't have veins popping out like later on after that. But, her fingernails were black. I was shocked, but I knew that it was her as she looked pretty much the same except for her eyes, her hair color, and the darker look she had

At first she saw only an intruder. But when she saw my expression. She somehow knew that it was me. For the first time in a long while: we were together again.

XXX

 _"SON OF A-!"_ Artyr roared in anguish. He couldn't believe what he was hearing!

The moon was shattered because

"How did you not know what she did at the time?! Didn't her form give you any hint?!" He asked his uncle in anger. His uncle sighed in frustration.

"I suspected, but when we both reunited, we had a bit of time to get..." His uncle paused as he spoke very carefully. Artyr's jaw dropped as he connected the dots. His face paled and he shivered in fear and then proceeded to hit himself to get the evil thoughts of his uncle and aunt getting it on.

"Stop that!" His uncle said, restraining him.

"I know it sounds bad," Uncle Ozpin/ma told him.

"But, we both lied to each other about what happened to us." He told his nephew. Artyr blinked and shook his head.

"We also lied to Adam after he came back," Ozma confessed. Artyr's jaw dropped again.

 _"What?"_ He asked in shock.


	35. Chapter 35: Explain Yourself Ozma II

Chapter 35

After we got time to ourselves, we fixed up the house and lived together as husband and wife, though the counterpart of my soul was telling me to get the hell out of the house because my wife looked bad.

We lied to each other, as I said before, I told her the Gods let me come back as a peace offering to her, but didn't tell her about my mission or the relics. She in turn, blamed the Gods for the destruction of the world. I asked what happened and she said that the God of Darkness went insane and killed the entire planet with one blast of magic and then proceeded to leave the planet with her on it, cursing her with immortality as a 'screw you' and then shattered the moon as he left. She said all this while cursing. Of course, she lied so that I wouldn't reject her (in all honesty, back then I wouldn't because we were effing married and I loved her for whom she was!) and I lied to her because I wasn't sure how she would deal with the information. Of course, we both agreed to do the unthinkable.

Y'see, I told Salem about Adam, whom he was, what I knew of him and how angry he could get as I saw him in action a few times. She was interested, but she also wanted to play it safe and convinced me that we should lie to him. I told her that was a bullshit idea (pardon my language) and that it was a bad idea as one: he raised me since I was eight after my own parents were killed and two: he was pretty much my father as he raised me as best as he could.

The idea that she pitched to me over a cup of coffee was that we should rule the new generation of humans. Of course, right now I can't remember how she explained that humans came back to Remnant. Either they evolved or she created them. Can't tell which. That, and something about the creation of the Faunus, how they came to be. Right now, I can't remember it all as it's been so long. Like I said, I remember for a time, then I forget, then I remember again.

Salem's idea went like this: both of us could use magic and since we were the last of the first generation of humans (generation in the sense that there was a first humanity and a second one.) we should rule as its 'gods'. Of course, I wanted to tell her what Adam told me 'Don't play God'. He told me a lot of stories about what happened to people who tried to play God or rule their people as false gods and none of them ended well. Of course, she convinced me that I should be the primary ruler when in fact, she ruled behind the scenes.

So, I agreed and then we began our work with a city that we both knew nearby that needed help. We spent a good week making clothes that reflected the image we would project. And so, I decided to be something akin to the God of Light, while she was more like the Goddess of Darkness. Our first action was to gain that city's following. Which we did after killing a Nevermore with magic and then had the people kneel before us. We gained a bit of a following over the years. Of course, no one knew we were actually humans that were greatly changed and were somehow involved in their ancestors' destruction in one shape or form.

We had a palace built in a land that we liked. A few years later: we had our first daughter: Eve. Salem named her Eve as she was the first girl to the last parents born of the first generation of humanity. We were proud as we soon had three more later. All five of the girls: Salem, Eve, Rachel, Sarai, and Hannah were the lights of my life. In that time, however, I yearned for one more thing: Adam. I had thought of him often and we made sure to tell them about their long-lost grandfather. I was hoping that Adam would be so happy to return to a family that missed him. The girls, save Hannah as she was just a few months old, were all elated to learn that they had an ogre for a grandfather. Of course, we kept telling them that we didn't know exactly what he was.

The day he returned was also one of the happiest moments of my life as Salem told me that there was something that she found odd while scrying with her crystal ball. She used it to see far-off events in distant lands. I can't remember where she got it right now though.

I looked into it and I saw him. I saw my father wandering the ruins of my old homeland and elsewhere, searching for me. It seemed that he didn't know what happened. I sent a messenger to him and had him come over to the palace. I met him in the lobby on the same ground floor as him. Not as an Emperor, but as his son and a man.

I remember seeing him look at me with at first confusion and then recognition and he hugged me for about five minutes, like he hadn't seen me in forever. He asked me if I did my goal, I told him I did (kind of at the time as we were still conquering some lands as well). Salem, after we found out Adam had somehow arrived, put on a disguise using a combination of magic and make-up. She had her eyes somehow turn back to their original color for a time, applied blush to her skin and painted her fingernails in the original color and promptly dyed her hair color blonde. Of course, this lasted only for a day and it was a real pain to put together, I can tell you now. The girls, of course, saw their mother's true form and thought she looked beautiful, which she happily agreed.

When the girls were born, she wasn't so conniving or evil, in my opinion. If anything, she tried to curb her behavior around our children for their sake. She was a very kind and loving mother. Never so much as swearing around them until later years and even then she apologized and lectured the girls not to do what she did. She tried to be a good example for the girls.

Truth be told, Adam didn't expect to be a grandfather to four girls. He confided that he thought I was going to have boys, as he never so much as raised girls himself, though he did have a sister growing up but never so much as saw her in a long time. Of course, he promised that he too would try to be a good grandparent to them.

None of the girls minded having a brown-skinned, slit-for-nostril, bulky, nine-feet-tall alien Jedi for a grandfather. Salem, however, was curious as to where he was from, what he did, and more importantly: Where in the hell he was for the umpteen millennia that we never saw him. Of course, we lied to him about what happened to the world while he was away.

We told him that the Gods left humanity to their own devices and granted us immortality to be its rulers/guardians while they were gone. Then, an asteroid came, shattered the moon, and killed almost all of human kind and the resulting fallout created the Faunus. Of course, we were going with what I remembered Adam telling me, though I'm pretty sure I made a few or more mistakes in what I said. Adam, I think, bought the lie, but was still suspicious as to how in the hell there wasn't a big impact crater on the land and why the world wasn't so much as desolate for tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of years after the fact of it happening. I told Salem that since he was a Force-user, he could sense emotions, so we tried our best to hide them as we told him what happened.

XXX

Artyr gawked at this bit of the story.

"You lied to my ancestor and he bought every word out of your mouths?!" He said, in shock. Ozpin shrugged as he grimaced.

"I'm not proud of it, but it's what we had to do. Neither of us wanted to make him mad." He said, honestly.

 _"Oh, I'll bet!"_ Artyr scoffed. Ozpin continued his story.

XXX

However, he kept things from us as well, as he brought in a whole duffel bag and even a locker full of things we didn't even know existed at the time. He kept them in his room until that one time when, during a thunderstorm, he had some kind of flashback while all of us were sleeping and shot Salem when we investigated. His first words out of his mouth were 'Harbinger' when he fired at Salem, whom didn't even dodge as she wasn't wearing her disguise. We didn't know what was wrong with him until he literally shook right in front of us with fear as he thought he was somewhere else and another time.

We tried to talk to him about it, but he would always try to change the subject. He only told us that he would expain it all to us when the girls were all adults. Salem, of course, didn't buy it and kept insisting on him telling her or me what happened to him. She nearly let it slip what actually happened when she asked him in a rage where he was when I got sick. I later told him I nearly died of the flu but I got better. Of course, he was suspicious. To keep things on the up-and-up around him, we made sure that we weren't conquering without provocation (to which Salem ensured that we did have provocation... allegedly legitimate reasons, mind you, for which she was always the cause.) We made him a General, but he refused. He preferred to being a stand-alone warrior. I asked him when he left the Order after Salem and the girls were out of earshot and he told me he officially left after he had me as a son. Jedi, it turned out, aren't supposed to be having children or attachments. Besides, he claimed to have been the first 'Force-Heretic' in the Order but never spoke about it aloud to any other Jedi at the time.

As for the girls, he tried to brighten their lives. He taught them some prayers he learned when he was a child. It was the first time I ever saw or heard him speak in his alien language... or rather several. Hell, it was the first time I ever saw him talk about his past. He taught our daughters some prayers in a language that he knew, or rather several. He also promised to give them all puppies if we agreed and if they were responsible enough. (Salem and I were exasperated. Just what were we going to do with a whole litter of puppies?! We were a royal family, not a royal kennel!) So, the girls were sad that they didn't get a puppy each, but we _did_ get a big dog that Adam found while he was out on patrol with the Army that we had. It was a big massive dog that looked like a breed he liked from back on his homeworld. I was surprised his homeworld even _had_ dogs. The thing was about half my height with black and brown fur and pointed each.

For about the next five years, we were pretty much a family, though a bit weird in certain respects. The first two years were uneventful, save an instance when a neighboring king tried to hit on Salem and threaten me in front of the whole court we had. Adam didn't take kindly to the remarks and threats he made against us and proceeded to beat the living hell out of him as he threatened what would happen if he threatened my wife ever again.

He sadly found out about Salem's disguise as he accidentally barged in when she was putting on make-up and stood shocked at what he saw. At first, they just stood there. Salem told me that Adam had a very fearful look in his eyes as he looked at hers. And that said something about her appearance to him.

XXX

"I'd be pretty scared too if my daughter-in-law looked like that! And if she was lying to me about her appearance as well! I'm surprised Adam didn't kill her on the spot!" Artyr said, exasperated.

"I thought he was going to attack her, too." Uncle Oz said, nodding in agreement. He then thought about it.

"But, he didn't." he said, thinking as his eyes squinted.

"He just kept looking at her eyes in fear as if it reminded him of something bad." He said, thinking as he put a hand on his chin.

"I have no idea what this means... but it may have something to do with Salem's eyes and what happened to him in the past. My theory is that he faced people that looked like her in the past and what they did was so bad that he didn't dare kill her on the spot as he saw what their power was." Ozma theorized.

Artyr shivered at this.

"If something makes him scared, I'm a bit worried myself." He said, slowly.

"Of course, it's just a theory." Uncle Oz shrugged and continued.

XXX

We apologized to him about it and lied to him again, telling him that she had fallen into a vat of chemicals when we were doing our adventuring days. For the next few years, he kept looking at her worried. I knew that he knew that something was definitely wrong with her as she wasn't like the Salem I knew, and the Salem that he never did meet.

One night, during a new moon, we found something about him. For the past six months, we heard noises from his rooms, like screams or shouts or something. He also smoked a crap ton of cigarettes. I can't tell you how many times the servants complained of butts on the grass outside of the palace.

That night, we heard something in the castle and we checked it out. A lot of fighting happened as our guards were literally getting their asses kicked: tossed out the windows, shot by some pretty advanced weaponry (they lived, but with wounds that lasted a while), and a lot of other brutal things.

Salem and I arose to confront the intruder as the guards were trying to tell us that it was Adam, whom by now we made 'Grand Knight of the Empire' as a title as well as 'the Royal Father of the Emperor of the Empress and Grandfather to the Princesses'.

What neither of us expected was Adam, in boxer shorts and a wife-beater shirt armed with some kind of assault rifle that fired rapid orange rounds and had orange lines through it as well as appeared to be seperated but still connected somehow, wrecking the Palace. As soon as she saw Salem he screamed 'Harbinger' at the top of his voice and fired on her. She tried to talk him down as he fired at her but her aura barrier broke and she had a ton of rounds poured into her. I was frozen with fear as my father shot my wife in what seemed to be a period of mental insanity. In her pain, she used her magic to make him crumple, not by much but still. However, he had strong enough will to go against her grip as she struggled against him and vice versa.

I remember trying to hold him down with my own magic and tell him that everything was okay. He just appeared frantic, muttering 'gotta fight' and other things I didn't quite catch. Salem and I held him down until we could calm him down. I recall both of us looking at him and then each other, wondering just what the hell happened to him while he was away.

I wanted to pray to the Gods about it, but I knew for a fact that they wouldn't return until the artifacts were gathered and I wanted humanity to be united by then so that we all wouldn't be wiped from existence. Salem tried getting Adam to talk about what happened and why he never came back, even going so far as to yell at him. But my father was just as stubborn as her. He told her that when the girls were older, he'd tell us what happened to him.

Then, thing started getting stranger. He started leaving at the most random of times, after Salem taught him how to use her crystal ball and he'd actually steal it and hide it away for some odd reason. Salem was really livid about this as she wanted to know just what the hell was going on with him just as much as I. And the girls were all confused on why Grandpa kept coming and going instead of playing with them or teaching them prayers and songs.

While he was away, we both snuck into his room and found that his stuff was gone. Like, he'd taken it all and put it somewhere else. We searched the whole palace from top to bottom but found nothing, leading us to suspect he could've hidden it as some kind of stash. Of course, he still had the iPhone.

So, to help him calm down, we started playing the thing out loud. Of course, we were all confused by just what kind of music he was listening to. Both of us, the parents, listened to them first to see which were good to play around the children and which were not. Did you know that Adam listened to some hardcore metal and rock as well as rap?! I mean, have you heard 'Hell's Bells', _'Hail to the King'_ , or _King of Kings'_?! Just what the hell was he when he wasn't around me?! He always acted so formal, polite and respectful around us. But when we listened to his music, which also included classical and something called 'Country' and 'Gregorian Chant' it turned out he was a bit complex when it came to his taste in music. He had a whole playlist of music that was under 'War music' that consisted of songs so brutal in lyrics, Salem and I swore that we would never ever let him play those in public.

Of course, why he was away all the time meant that something was going on. Something that neither of us knew and he wasn't telling us. So, we confronted him about it all the time when he got back from wherever we didn't send him. Of course, he'd happily go on missions of diplomacy and battle to deal with neighbors for both of us to deal with. However, he loved being around us as he regarded us as the first family he had in a long time. But, he didn't treat us like it with what was going on with him.

Sometimes when he came back, he came back with fresh scratches on his armor, his tunic would be torn or singed, there would be what looked like bullet holes or something and I swear he came back once or twice with a broken nose that Salem had to fix since she was one of the few that could actually come close to matching his strength.

XXX

Artyr looked at Ozma.

"And neither of you found out what happened or how it occurred?" He asked, incredulously.

"We both could fly thanks to our magic and we found some pretty weird things that looked like happened." Ozma replied.

"For instance: we found a crater about three miles wide and what used to be about twelve villages all along the western coast of Mystral along with several more inland. We asked Adam about it, but he didn't want to talk about it. We found other such things like craters that just showed up when farmers walked by and told our guards whom told us. Now, that I think about it when I look at the craters now, it looked like something had come to Remnant and Adam dealt with it. I'm not sure how he hid it, but he did." Ozma said.

His nephew looked at him incredulously again.

"That sounds a bit far-fetched, don't you think? No one told me other aliens came to Remnant alongside my family!" He said.

"That's because Adam made sure no one talked, I think." Ozma said, frowning.

Artyr's jaw dropped and his face fell.

This was a disturbing thought to both of them.

"It's like he didn't want anyone to know about other races that came to us. Like he wanted them to disappear." He added, shaking his head.

"But, why we haven't seen them now is disturbing. I think it means that he must've killed those whom arrived." He theorized. Artyr gawked at this. The thought of one of the first Jedi outright killing aliens that just crash-landed onto Remnant without taking them to the local rulers or even making whole ships just disappear was downright frightening. What didn't he want the world he was supposed to protect, much less his own family: see?

"And why in the hell would he do that?!" Artyr asked, angry. Just what the hell was wrong with Adam?! What made him do such things?!

"I don't know," Ozma admitted, shaking his head.

XXX

As the years went by, we were still a family, we just had issues of our own. The wars that Salem started were growing more numerous and we were more like warlords bent on conquest than great unifiers that I imagined. Adam himself noticed this as well. We never spoke of it around the children for fear of scaring them.

Of course, Adam kept lecturing Salem on controlling her dark side as he knew it was in her. He kept reminding her that she was the best thing that happened to me and I being the best thing that happened to him besides the girls and her. H 'Don't go down the path of vengeance. You won't like how it ends' he told her one night.

XXX

Artyr frowned.

"Sounds like he went down Salem's road before," He said, thinking. Ozma nodded.

"Yeah, it does. Of course, he never talked about it even when us and the girls asked him." Ozma admitted.

XXXXX

One night, I spilled the beans on what the Gods had told me while Adam was playing with the girls and teaching them in his own way his people's language and some songs he heard others say when he was young as well.

To the girls, he was the best Grandpa they ever had. On that, Salem and I agreed as he made them happy. He also tried to act like a good role model around all of us.

That all changed when Adam barged in as soon as Salem asked what I said as she watched something on her ball. He opened the door and told us that the girls had something to show us. I remember as he ushered them in and the girls all showed us that they could use magic by sending out orbs of various kinds of magic that could be used. Salem smiled in a motherly way to show that she was proud, as did I and Adam smiled in wonder as he shook his head.

 **"Never thought I'd have mages for granddaughters!"** He said, laughing as he shook his head in his booming voice. After they left, Salem and I talked with Adam looking after them.

"Don't you see?" She told me, trying to convince me again.

"We don't need to reunite this world's humanity! All we have to do is replace this world's humanity with our children!" She told me with a smile. It was then and there that I knew: I lost my Salem. What had happened to her had made her into something terrible. I didn't even want to know where we would get the boys our girls would someday marry and have children with. Whatever she planned for our children, I knew it wasn't good.

I took a step back and shook my head. Her smile fell as she saw my look of horror.

"Are you even listening to yourself?" I asked her.

"Do you have any idea on what you're going to do to our own children?!" I asked, shaking my head as my voice rose.

"I'm planning for our future!"

"Our future is the Gods coming back!" I yelled at her as I pointed to the floor.

"Fuck the Gods!" She roared in anger at what I said.

"And fuck your father too!" She roared, pointing at me. I stepped back in shock

"Do you have any idea how long I spent looking for him when you were sick?!" She yelled at me in anger, shaking her head. "I prayed to the Gods that he would come back and he never did. It's been thousands of years later after everything and now he shows up all of a sudden in our lives?! What the hell kind of man is he?! Hell, what is he?!" She yelled at me.

"He keeps stealing my damn ball and he keeps being shifty about what he's been doing in the past! And you're too damned blind to see what your father even is! The girls love him and you love him, I'll admit that." She said, nodding.

"But, I don't love him as he's been a deadbeat Father to us!" She roared.

"And you've been a conniving bitch since I came back to you!" I roared in anger. Our emotions ran high! Her head jerked back in shock as if slapped or stung.

"I never should've listened to you about all this! Whatever the fuck happened in the past, _happened._ I forgive him, because he's the one man who taught me right-from-wrong after my parents were killed! And he's our children's grandfather for the love of the Gods!" I told her, gesturing out the door.

"He's a crazy-ass war veteran!" She insulted him.

"He could kill our kids one night and hell, even the dog and you when he has an episode!" She sneered, pointing at me. "I tolerated him _this_ long as he's family to you and the girls. _But not to me!"_ She added.

"He's trying to help all of us, for crying out loud!" I told her. You could feel the hot tension in the air.

"However, things also took a turn that same night as we heard a knock on the door. Three knocks. We stopped our arguing as we realized someone was listening in. The windows I now noticed had cracked from her power. We both looked at eachother.

"Come in," I said, slowly. I wondered whom had listened in. We both looked in shock and horror as our daughters walked in, slowly as the door opened. They came in, fearful. All four of the girls had tears down their eyes. Both of us realized that our daughters had heard what was said. We both held our breath.

"Girls," I started to say.

"Your father and I were just having a bit of a disagreement." Salem lied to them as she walked up next to me. Her face had softened from her rage. Hannah, the youngest, sniffled as she cried.

"Why were you fighting?" Eve asked, tears starting to well. We opened our mouths to speak. All four girls had tears in their eyes.

"And why are you insulting Grandpa, Mommy?!" Hannah barked at her mother in anger.

"Why?! He's the kindest old man we have and you're talking bad about him behind his back?!" Hannah screamed. I saw a flash of anger from Salem's red eyes as she started to yell at them. Her eyes glowed a bright red as she was about to bark at them until the girls all gasped and stepped back in fear. As soon as she saw their looks of fear she stopped.

The other three girls, save Eve ran out of the room in fear before we could say a word. She had tears streaming from her eyes as she looked in fear at her own mother. Her mother looked in sorrow back and her head fell in shame.

"Eve, what did you come to tell us?" I asked, stepping between her mother and herself. I asked her in a parternal tone.

"G-"She stammered.

"Grandpa said he had to s-see someone that just came to the f-front door. He said he had to talk to him about something, but he sounded r-really mad." She said, trying to be brave.

"He said a whole bunch of curse words that you and Mommy don't want us to say as he went over to talk with him. Salem's head shot up.

"Wait... someone came to the front door to speak with Grandpa and not us?" She asked, confused and astounded after getting besides me Eve cowered and nodded. Salem sighed and then she slowly walked over to Eve not to frighten her.

"Honey, I'm not mad at you or your sisters." She tried to reassure her.

"I'm just mad at Grandpa and Daddy and I were having an argument about your future. That's it." She said, nodding. She then went to her daughter's eye level and noted that she took a step back to avoid her. She sighed.

"Honey, someday, when you're older: Mommy and Daddy will tell you about our past like Grandpa says he will, okay? All you need to know is that Mommy is mad at Grandpa, but loves Daddy okay?" She spoke softly and talked to our ten year old daughter as if she was five.

"Why are you mad at Grandpa?" She asked, sniffling.

"Grandpa wasn't always there for us as Daddy was ill and Mommy went to look for him, but never found him." She lied while she spoke softly.

"But, Daddy got better and Mommy got sick too as a result, which is why I look like this now. But, Mommy's better now too." She said, smiling.

"Will you ever stop being mad at Grandpa?" Eve asked, softly. Salem paused and sighed.

"I will, someday." She said, softly. I don't know if she meant it or not. She then kissed our firstborn daughter on the forehead.

"I want you to go tell your sisters to get ready for bed. We'll tuck you in as well after Daddy and I finish talking." Salem told her.

"We'll do something nice tomorrow, okay?" She nodded and left to do what she was told. Salem's smile as she departed fell and she sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Right in front of my own daughters,"She whispered and shook her head. She had tried to curb her anger and cruel tendencies for at least a decade. I am telling you now, from the bottom of my heart, she was worse when she was pregnant. I'm leaving it at that.

She looked at me as she closed the door with a wave of her hand.

"We're going to see what that old bastard's up to," She announced.


	36. Chapter 36: Explain Yourself Ozma III

Chapter 36

"We're continuing this conversation later, when our children aren't within earshot!" She snapped at me before I could speak.

"How was I supposed to know?" I muttered, angrily and we went over to her crystal ball.

"Let's see who he's talking to," She said, her hand hovering over it. An image popped up of a grassy hill outside of the Palace. I saw Father walking with someone else that I had never seen before. His stature was smaller and his robes were unlike any I had seen before.

"I believe we are outside of hearing range," The smaller figure said, a resonant voice that was male spoke.

 **"Good,"** Father said, nodding, his bare and mocha-colored head moved. And then he did the most unexpected thing: He punched the smaller man in the head. The six-foot-tall man was old and wiry it looked like with gray robes and white beard as well as some kind of cap on his head. He rubbed his face after landing about a good three miles away while Father appeared right before him.

 **"YOU SONS OF BITCHES AND BASTARDS! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THIS SHIT?!"** He roared as he pounded the old man repeated, the blows making the old man go further into a crater as each blow landed on him.

. We could barely hear the blows from inside the house and both of us looked outside to see where exactly they were.

"I think I can see them," She said, squinting.

"Damn, he's really pounding the hell out of him." She commented, shaking her head. She winced.

"And he just-" She started to say as I looked back at the ball. I saw my own adoptive father just stomp on the old man's crotch. I winced as I hled my own.

 _"OY VEY!"_ She shouted in shock at what she saw. She had started the habit of saying that after Adam noticed her swearing around the kids at certain times when she was angry. Of course, neither of us knew what it meant as he never told us. . Salem was shocked as she watched him beat an apparently old and defenseless old man.

He stopped pounding the old man whom merely got up with no apparent damage done to his tunic or his body. He got up just as easily as a young man. He looked up at the alien with blue eyes.

"Are you finished, young man? Or must you pound this disguise once more to express your rage?" He asked. Adam grunted like a bull.

 **"I did your dirty work for centuries and this is the thanks I get?!"** Adam said, angrily, his fists clenched.

 **"I come home to find that thousands of years or more have passed, but my son's still alive, but his hair got changed!"** He roared, counting with his fingers.

 **"The moon's like that,"** He said, pointing to the moon. **"Every city I knew here is pretty much gone and desolate with new cities rising up, and humans all of a sudden can't do magic here."** He counted.

 **"And my son got hitched and is now a fucking Emperor of Mankind on this planet and his wife looks damn close to a damn Harbinger! So, mind telling me what the _fuck_ is going on?!"** He roared at the smaller figure. We blinked.

"What is he talking about?" I whispered.

"What's a 'harbinger'?" She asked, remembering the incident two years before.

The old man, apparently someone that Father knew, sighed and shook his head. I frowned. How was he still alive after the pounding that Adam gave him?

"I apologize for your anger, and it is quite understandable," The old 'man' said, dusting himself.

 **"I was away from my son for who-knows-how-long and I even did a blood oath when the Gods told me he needed help to show how serious I was!"** He said, angrily.

 **"Now, I'm back home and everything's worse than fucked up!"** He said, angrily.

 **"I know you bastards know something about this!"** He accused, pointing at him. The old man looked at him defiantly.

"I am not here about that. Besides, it would be better if shown rather than told by someone else."

 **"What do you mean?"** Adam asked, leaning over the old man, his powerful physique against the old one's own. Father's face was twisted into an alien and hateful snarl.

"I mean: we need you for another ta-" Adam's fist sent him flying a lot farther than we ever saw. We saw him fly off about ten miles or more maybe and then Adam again, ran up to him.

 **"This is the kind of shit I'm talking about!"** Adam swore as he walked up to the old man that stood up.

 **"I try to relax and then you send me off _again!_ Do you realize the shit that's been happening here too?!"** He asked, angrily.

 **"One of them showed up about a year ago and took out a bunch of villages! And then, some jackholes who shouldn't be here are coming down like cats and dogs!"** He said, gesturing to the coast and then the sky as he spoke to the old man who looked at him patiently.

 **"Do you realize just what I had to do to make sure word didn't get back to my family about what happened?!"** He yelled at them.

 **"Do you realize what I've done to protect them all?!"** He yelled, pointing back to our Palace.

 **"So, either it's you fuckers or something else!"** Adam roared as he pointed at the old man.

"I am perplexed at this as well, but that is not my task. For you see, the world we will send you was originally someone else's task, more specifically: two." He said, raising two fingers.

"However, they requested your aid specifically." He added. Adam looked at the thing in confusion.

 **"I haven't met anyone from home in a long-ass time,"** He said, flatly.

 **"You _fuckers_ never sent anyone else to help me and you sure as _fuck_ didn't tell me what happened to everyone from back home!"** He said, angrily as he spread his arms. He used a lot of swear words I noticed. I wondered just whom this being my father spoke with was.

"I was ordered to give you this as proof of whom requested your aid." The old man said, producing a small bag.

Adam looked at him suspiciously. He gave the bag to Adam who took it with hesitation. He opened it and reached inside. He frowned and held his breath as he brought something out. It looked like some kind of headband in the moonlight. The color from the cloth was faded, worn, and torn, but the symbol was perplexing. It was a circle with an arrowhead at the lower left hand corner of the outside of the circle. Adam's look was that of recognition and surprise. He turned it over as we spoke. The thing was tiny in his massive hands as he held it gently like a baby. I saw his expression of confusion as his eyes went to the old man.

"Isn't that a headband worn by the ninja clans?" I asked. The shinobi were fierce warriors in the old humanity and the new humanity also had them, or were starting to. Neither of us were that much knowledgeable on them at the time.

"I don't know the symbol for that clan," She told me, honestly.

He turned it over and I saw his eyes widen as his mouth dropped. On the back of the headband were written 'Property of MAC' in Modern Vytalian written in marker or something like it.

"What's 'MAC'?" I asked aloud as I saw this.

"That's something we're going to have to ask him when he gets back" Salem said without looking at me as she was frowning. We heard his gasp as he looked up at the 'man' and then reached inside and grabbed another object. It was a some kind of necklace with an image we never saw before. The crystal ball couldn't zoom in to get a closer look, but we saw that there was some kind of image on it. Adam then grabbed the old man and pulled him close.

 **"They're _alive_?! Both of them?! After all these years?!"** He asked, his voice frantic. The old man smiled.

"Time has passed much shorter for them than for you, my friend." The thing that pretended to be a man answered.

 **"All these years,"** Adam whispered as he dropped the old man. He kneeled and I heard him laugh as if he was going insane. We watched him laugh as he looked up at the shattered moon with tears in his eyes.

 **"Thank you,"** He whispered as he made a gesture I had seen him when he taught the girls to pray.

 **"Thank you so much!"** He said, putting his hands over his face. I then heard him cry as he laughed.

 **"All these years and I thought they were dead!"** He said, laughing. The old man smiled.

 **"I told them that much time had passed for you. And as such, I requested that proof be given that they are indeed alive."** He said.

 **"I gave him that headband for his birthday and that medallion was given to her by my grandmother!"** He said, holding up the objects. He sniffled.

 **"How are they?! Are they okay?"** He asked, standing up.

 **"What do you need me to do?!"** He asked. He then paused.

 **"SHIT!"** He roared and smacked his head.

 **"Salem and Ozma! Fuck!"** He roared as he paced.

 **"What do I tell them?! What the hell do I tell them?!"** He asked no one in particular as he thought.

"Perhaps, if you were to bring them back, then perhaps they would have a very good conversation?" The old 'man' suggested. Adam looked up and smiled.

 **"Yeah, that's-"** He then paused.

 **"Wait,"** He frowned as he looked at him. The old man sighed and muttered something. His face turned into one of anger.

 **"What's the catch?"** He asked, hands on his hips.

He sighed.

"The answers you seek about what happened in the past will be discovered on the world that they're in." The old 'man' said.

 **"What the hell do you mean by that?! What pa-"** He started to say. His eyes widened and both of us held our breath.

"Oy Vey," Salem said simply as we both realized that our lies and our cover-up of what happened, or more accurately: her disastrous rebellion which caused an 'Armageddon' and our lying to him were going to come crashing down.

 _"Shit,"_ I muttered, closing my eyes.

"What do we do now?" I whispered. She sighed a loud 'Fuck!' as she rubbed her face.

 **"You're saying they're... in the future?"** I heard Father's voice ask. We turned back to the ball. The old man nodded as he spoke.

 **"They're alive and well, but they have been insistent in requesting your aid."** The old man said.

 **"However, it's not your future, though it could well turn into it. It's-"** he paused. Both of us froze as we saw his eyes look at us. Not move randomly, but right at us.

"It's something you should see for yourself," The old man said.

"How in the fuck did he know we were watching?" I whispered, shocked. Salem blinked.

"I don't think Adam noticed," She said. Adam looked at the old man with a wary expression.

 **"You stopped mid-sentence, why?"** He asked. The old man smiled.

"My concern, not yours. Just realized I need to discipline some upstart children is all." Adam sighed and muttered.

 **"It's that bastard son of yours again, isn't it?"** He asked the old man who started to glare at him.

 **"Thought I told his punk-ass if I ever caught him doing that kind of shit again, I'd-"** He started to say and then he disappeared with a loud crack being heard all the way to our mansion. We both turned to see a very small figure move fast as a lightning bolt and a loud inhuman scream of 'SHIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTT' as he flew through the moonlit night. Our jaws dropped.

 _"HOLY SHIT!"_ We both yelled in shock. I had never seen anyone hurt Adam much less make him so much as budge before save a very large Grimm once. But this old 'man', this person or whatever he or it was... made him fly like a bird. Adam crashed to the earth with a crater about half-a-mile wide. We blinked.

"Can you do that?" I asked my wife. She looked at me and then scoffed.

"'Can I do that', you ask? Remember that time I flipped the coffee table after we found out the dog shat in the Palace again?" She asked.

"You do realize we never told him about what happened to the dog, right?" I reminded her. She closed her eyes and sighed as she pinched them.

XXXX

Artyr looked at his uncle with very fearful confusion.

"What did Salem do to the dog?" He asked, his eye twitching.

"You don't want to know," Uncle Oz stated, shaking his head with painful memories coming to mind.

"Did Adam ever find out?"

"I have no idea and I hope to the Gods he never did because he loved that dog like life itself." Uncle Oz said, nodding with fear in his eyes. They sat in silence.

"What happened next? Did the old guy ever say whom he was or how he knew?" Artyr asked, curious as to what this being was that could knock a full-grown, ancient Sym off of his feet with a mere punch.

XXX

Adam got up and rubbed his nose. I saw blood come out of it.

"Guess you're setting that again," I told her. She sighed.

"I wish someone else could do it,"

 **"You punched me in the face! No one's hit me like that since-"** He started to say as he got up. The old man suddenly appeared before him.

 _"I will not have you threaten members of my family just as you will not have anyone threaten members of yours, Adam Sym!"_ The old man roared in an inhuman voice that sounded close to a God.

 _"I know of your suffering and your sacrifice and I will admit like others of my kind that your rest is well-deserved and well-needed."_ The old man admitted. "But, you have been requested and you must leave as soon as possible!"

 **"I've only been back for about five or six years! I can't just up and leave now- I don't know how long I'll be gone this time!** " Adam protested like a child.

"You will be back in time that much I know." The old 'man' told him like a father or an officer in an army.

 **"What about my son? My daughter-in-law and my grandkids?!"** Adam asked, gesturing towards our house. Again, the old man looked at us though Adam most likely didn't know what was going on.

"Have no fear," He said, putting a hand on Adam's arm.

"You will return just in time," He said, cryptically. We both frowned. Just what in the hell did he mean by that?!

 **"I suggest you go now and tell your family you'll be off as you are needed elsewhere. I will take you to the necessary place for you to restock. Then, I'll take you there myself."** The old man told him. Adam nodded, wiping the blood off of his nose.

The old man then gestured for him to lean closer to which Adam did and then in a flash, Adam screamed as he jerked back.

 **'What the hell, man?!"** He roared at the smaller and older man with his nose now reset.

"I just reset your nose, Adam Sym. You don't want to have a broken nose when you visit your family again, don't you?" The old man grinned mischievously.

Adam sighed.

 **"Thanks, old one. I'll go-"** A flash happened as he spoke next and he blinked as he showed up right at our front door.

 **"Back home and tell my family,"** He said. He sighed.

 **"Pretentious old fart,"** He muttered as the guards stammered and he let himself through without explaining himself. Right before we could bolt out the doors to meet him and try to hide our reactions to what we just saw. Guess who showed up right in front of the only way out besides the windows.

We both stopped dead in our tracks and prepared for a fight, our auras glowing. Hers was black and mine was yellow. The old man smiled.

"Amazing facade you both have put up," The old man said, walking forward.

"I am not here to fight you, only to warn you both of your consequences." The old man said with a serious expression, raising his hand.

"Who are you and how do you know Adam?" Salem asked, tilting her head as she walked forward. The old man smiled.

"Oh, to use a phrase from his old homeworld: We go back a-ways." He said, jerking a thumb back. He then became serious.

"You have no idea how much you and your children mean to him," The old man said, seriously.

"Ask yourselves: What would a father do for his children to ensure their safety? Much less their survival?" He asked us, cryptically. He looked at me as he spoke. I tilted my head as I looked at him.

"What are you saying?" Salem asked, shaking her head.

"What the hell are you and how can you do that?" She angrily asked, pointing at him.

"All will be revealed in time," The old man said.

"And when that happens, both of you shall know the full weight of your errors." The old man warned.

"And the truth of your adopted family's origins," He added before disappearing. We both looked at each other in confusion.

"I would like to know," Salem started to say.

"What is going on with Adam?" She asked, shaking her head.

"And who was he?!" She asked, pointing her finger at where the old man stood. We heard Adam's voice calling and sighed. We tried to hide our reactions to what had just happened as we went out of the study and found him outside.

He wore the headband on his head with the top part of his skull covered. I saw the blood on his robe's sleeve as he looked at both of us.

"Something wrong, father?" Salem asked, playing her facade again. He walked over to both of us and went down to our eye level as though we were both children.

 **"Look, I'm sorry to do this to both of you..."** He sighed as he looked away.

 **"Again,"** He dipped his head and Salem closed her eyes and shook her head.

 **"But, something just came up and I have to go... again."** He groaned the last word. Salem sighed.

"Why?" She asked, angrily.

"You've been doing this for the past three years and Hannah's birthday is next month!" She roared at him. He rubbed his face.

 **"Something _really_ important just came up,"** He told us.

"What is it then? Why do you leave all the time? Where are you going?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Out fucking whores?" She asked. Adam's jaw dropped as she said this and his eyes widened. I looked at her in shock.

'Salem!" I said aloud.

 **"That..."** Adam started to say.

 **"Is not something I ever expected you to say in all the years that I've known you."** He said to her honestly.

"And you're not the Adam that Ozma told me about," She retorted. His face became one of sorrow and he dipped his head. He sighed.

 **"I'm bringing people from where I'm going back here to help explain things,"** He told us.

"What kind of people?" I asked, suspicious. He looked at me and smiled.

 **"The best kind. I've known them both since I was a kid."** He told me, shrugging.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

 **"I mean, you're going to meet people who I knew from back home. And our family's going to be a whole lot bigger now,"** He said, smiling.

 **"They'll help explain whom and what we are,"** He told me.

"'We?' By what 'we' do you mean?" She asked.

 **"My people,"** He told her flatly. She looked at him, curiously.

"Alright... come back here with your friends and we'll have a talk about everything." She said, wagering. He wickedly grinned.

 **"Bet you'll drop your jaw when the truth's out,"** He told her.

"You're on," She grinned wickedly back at him. I could see the mischief in her eyes if she won.

 **"I also bet that you won't make it back within a week,"** She told him. He frowned and then thought.

 **"If you win?"** He asked.

 **"I kick your ass out of the Palace even if you do indeed bring your friends back with you,"** She told him.

"Take it, you never really stay that long here anyway," She said, grinning again. He looked at her.

 **"Fine,"** He said.

 **"I'll take that bet,"** He told her. They shook on it.

 **"Tell the girls that I'm going away and I'll be back as soon as I can. Tell them that I'll be bringing their _aintin_ and _uncail_."** He told us before kissing us both on the head.

 **"They'll know what that means,"** He told us as he turned away.. Salem looked at him angrily.

"What have you been teaching my daughters behind my back, you _shit-stained_ son of a _bitch_?!" She roared at him as she raised her hand, about to send a blast of magic at his own back. He stopped about five of his paces away from us and he looked at her as he was about to go.

 **"There are a lot of things I taught them that you would never know,"** He told her, cryptically.

XXX

" _Okay_ , what did he mean by that?" Artyr asked as the ship they were in traveled to its destination in Atlas.

"I haven't a clue," Uncle Oz shrugged.

"We asked them, but they told us that they would tell us about it when their grandfather returned home." Artyr frowned at Oz's explanation as the stars shone down upon them as well as the shattered moon.

"We asked them about what else he taught them and they all told us that it was a secret." His ancestral uncle answered.

"Something tells me there was a lot going on behind both of your backs at the time other than him teaching them prayers and songs,"

"Well, I remember him teaching them a bit of his people's languages." Ozma said, thinking. He frowned.

"I had a lot of time to think about it, but I forget my earlier thoughts." He sighed.

"I swear I'm getting senile even without a body!" He muttered.

XXX

I remember the girls being sad that we told them that their grandfather had to go away again, but they were happy when they told us that he was bringing them back their 'aintin' and 'uncail'. We asked them about it, they told us that it was a secret... all four of them. Not even Hannah told us and she was close to six years old!

Almost a week passed and I kept thinking about what Salem had done and told me. I started to realize that perhaps the Salem I once knew and loved was indeed gone... corrupted beyond measure. She had been a good mother, yes. But, I could see she was having very evil plans for our children. So, I decided to take action. I had to keep up my own facade with Salem. I suspected Salem herself was thinking I was going to do something that she didn't like. She was right.

The sixth night that Adam was gone, I told the girls that their mother wasn't feeling right and that I was taking them away to a safe place. They were scared and asked if Grandpa was home. I told them 'no', but that I would make sure he would find us and help me help their mother.

I remember that we went down the main hall and told them not to make a sound. Salem had told me that she would be out on a diplomatic mission to a kingdom to ensure their alliance with us. She obviously lied as she stood in front of the windows of the main hall, her form illuminated by the moonlight.

I could feel the tension in the air as she saw our children being taken close to out of the house in the middle of the night.

I remember her red eyes glaring at me with both hurt and betrayal.

"Mommy?" Hannah asked, scared at her mother's anger. I took a step back in the hall as we stood far apart.

"Don't do this, Salem." I told her, my eyes pleading for her not to fight... not in front of our children. She grunted in anger and I saw her magic start to form in her hands, ready to strike. Just as she was about to strike, a flash of light illuminated the room and blinded us all.

When the blindness faded, we both saw a new and old member join us in the confrontation.

"Grandpa!" The girls said, happily with tears in their eyes. Adam stood in the darkness at first, his blue eyes illuminated as a smaller light was formed. He stepped out of the shadows as Salem spoke. Salem stood in shock.

"How?" She asked, shaking her head.

 **"Never mind that, Sale."** He told her, a pet name he called her which she hated as he stepped forward, revealing a cigarette in his mouth that was lit.

 **"I know about _everything_ ,"** He said, angrily.

"Grandpa?" The girls asked almost simultaneously. His gaze softened as he looked at his granddaughters. I saw tears start to form.

 **"How's it going, girls? Been good for your parents?"** He asked. They thought for a moment.

"Never mind that," He said, dismissively.

"Go back to bed, your ma, da and I have something to talk about." He told them.

"Yes, go back to bed, my sweets." Salem said, looking at Adam. She had a faux motherly tone as she glared at Adam.

"The adults have a lot to say," She told them. The girls looked afraid as I looked at them and gestured back to the door leading to their rooms. They nodded and left, all going back the way they came.

Adam then started speaking.

 **"I know everything about what happened,"** He began, looking at us both while he walked to a spot between us and yet a little far from us.

"I _know_ you got humanity killed in your damnable rebellion, Sale." He told her.

"Took you long enough," She spat.

 **"I know the Gods gave you immortality not as a blessing, but a curse."** He told her.

 **"I know that it was you whom made the Gods leave after you forced their hands... twice."** He said, raising his massive fingers.

 ** _"AND YOU HAD MY SON DISINTEGRATED THRICE!"_** He roared at her in anger. She stood in shock at the mere force of his booming voice. The windows shattered from it and the halls shook.

I looked at her in shock at what was said. By this time, I didn't know the Gods left because of Salem! She looked at him.

"How did you know?" She asked.

He glared at her and then looked at me.

 **"Ozma,"** He began in a softer tone with tears in his eyes.

 **"You didn't tell me you died!"** He told me with tears in his eyes as he whispered something like 'gain' under his breath.

 **"There wasn't enough time, Father! We had a choice to make!"** I defended myself.

 **"We did! And I swore that I would do everything to help you because you're my son!"** He told me as he pointed at me.

 **"But, I"m also _ashamed_ of what you both did!"** He said at both of us.

 **"I told you what happens when you play God and what did you do?!"** He said, angrily and sadly.

 **"You made yourself a tyrant and your own wife was pulling the damned strings!"** He said, pointing at me.

"I didn't do anything like that!" I told him, defending myself.

 **"You both had temples dedicated to you! Temples that I never saw because you made me not see them or go near them!"** He scolded us.

"And you fell for it like a chump!" She spat at him with glee, relishing his sadness. He glared at her.

 **"Do you have any _fucking_ idea what I did for you, Salem?"** He asked, stepping forward.

 **"Do you realize what I sacrificed just so I could be with you all? So I could be with him?"** He asked, pointing at me.

 **"Do you realize what I had to do so that I could get a chance to be back with him again?! Do you realize I never had a choice in any event of what happened to me?!"** He yelled at her.

 **"Do you realize what I lost?!"** He yelled, raising his hands as he looked at them.

 **"I lost my old body, my mom, my dad, my world, my friends, my family, _everything_!"** He told her.

 ** _"EVERYTHING!"_** He roared at her.

 **"I thought that I would never get another chance at a family again, not ever!"** He told her.

 **"And then I met him!"** He told her, pointing at me.

 **"That's all it's ever been about, isn't it? You and Ozma? What about me and the girls?!"** She asked, pointing at herself.

 **"Correction: 'About _you_ '."** He corrected her. She gritted her teeth.

 **"You blamed everyone save yourself after the God of Darkness did his thing,"** He told her.

 **"You got turned immortal because you turned the Gods against themselves so that you could bring Ozma back! You idolized him so much over your gods that your gods decided you should learn a lesson. Then, you turned into a false idol yourself after you jumped into that pool of fucking evil when your rebellion against the Gods failed with you the sole survivor!"** He told her.

"How in the hell do you know all this?" She asked him.

 **"Never mind that, I've got ways of knowing."** He snapped her.

"Fuck you!" She told him.

"You're always hiding shit from us! Always! You're never around when we need you, like when Ozma died!" She told him.

 **"Oh, so it's _my_ fault?!"** He told her, stepping forward.

 **"You think I had a choice?! I had none! I had literally no choice and no way to get back to him and I didn't know about it until after I went to where I was sent!"** He told her.

"And how far into the future was that?" She asked. He sighed in anger.

 **"So, you used that damn ball, didn't you?"** He asked, looking at her.

 **"I fucking knew it when I was sensed that we were being watched,"** He told her as he took his cigarette and put it on the floor, promptly stopping it.

"Yeah, I did. Because you owe me for all the times you stole the damn thing and you owe me for all the times you've been shifty!"

 **"You're shifty yourself! Remember that one time when you killed that ambassador from that one land and made it look like someone else did it and then told that nation that the Empire would avenge it?! Well guess what: Both of those nations now lick our boots because of it!"**

 **"If someone doesn't like us or has something bad to say about the work you've been doing? You sick the Grimm on them!"** He accused. I looked at her in shock. She shook her head and muttered something.

 **"You and the Grimm are one now, aren't you? You fell in and they all now bow to your command because you're a level above them since you have or have had a soul, don't you?"** He said, shaking his head.

 **"You were the light of his life and he was the light of mine and now you went to the dark side and took him down with it!"** He said, nudging his head to me.

 **"Well, at least he had second thoughts! At least he acted like the ruler he was: but you?"** He scoffed. She snorted in response.

"He can't make plans for shit!" She roared at my father. I looked at her stung and in shock. He shook his head.

 **"So much for 'being the love of his life'."** He said aloud.

 **"And to think you're my daughter-in-law!** " He shook his head.

"So, this is what you came back to do? You didn't bring your friends with you?" She asked.

 **"I don't need to. I don't want them to go overboard with what I'm going to do:"** He told her, stepping forward.

"And that is?" She asked, her hands glowing.

 **"Saving what's left of my family, if I have any left."** He told her.

 **"And I'm going to do it in any way that I can, so help me God!"** He said, his hands curling into fists.

 **"Even if it means-"** He started to say. Before he could say the next sentence, she struck. She sent a blast of magic at him. Before he could do anything, I fired my own magic blast at her from my cane, trying to intercept it as Adam dove to the left by instinct, her blast missing him. She charged at him with her magic and then the unthinkable happened: My blast hit my wife head on. She staggered as the blast struck her. Her flesh seared upon impact and I stopped immediately, realizing my error.

"Salem, I am so, so sorry." I told her, solemnly. She looked at me with her flesh being put back together thanks to her curse. Her face had melted and her robes had been burnt on impact, melting into her skin.

 **"Mother of Mercy,"** Adam whispered, making that gesture again.

"'Mercy'?" She asked, looking at him in anger.

"There will be _no mercy,_ " She hissed. She launched two blasts with both hands as I was about to launch a defensive salvo. Adam raised both hands, freezing both of us in place. Salem's red magic glowed within her palms, searing her flesh like a hellish fire. She grunted in pain.

 **"Both of you will stop fighting like roosters in a cock-fight!** " He scolded us.

 **"We're still a family, last I checked. And we're going to talk this out and figure out a way to fix it!"** He said.

"You want to kill me, you prick!" She roared. Adam looked at her.

 **"You dumb bitch! I'm trying to-"** Just then, he paused and turned to see something out of our views.

 **"Eve?! What are you doing here?!"** He asked, his concentration faltering as he saw our daughter. Salem took the chance as his grip loosened.

 **"I told you to get back to y-"** He started to say as she launched a blast. It hit him. I could smell his robes burning as he grunted. It wasn't in pain.

 **"DAMN IT, WOMAN!"** He roared in anger. I then struck back at her.

 _"YOU BITCH! I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!"_ I roared at her in anger. I remember well our fight. Adam did his best to try to control us, but our attacks were too quick for him to control. I can remember him screaming for us to stop fighting. Our salvos lit the hall and I'm sure Grimm would be gathering about this. I recall hearing his scared voice as he pleaded for us to stop fighting. And then: the dead-lock. Our energies were matched by sheer will and anger at eachother alone. I remember Adam yelling: 'The kids!' I didn't look as I was focused on Salem. I remember Adam screaming as did our children

The last thing I heard from them were screams of fear and terror as the combined magical energies resulted in an explosion that tore apart the palace. I remember waking up, bleeding and Salem was where she had stood, in a puddle. Seconds later, she reformed into herself and walked over to me.

Her look was not of love or sorrow but of cold hatred. She then put her foot over me as I turned my bleeding body over to talk to her. I wondered what happened to our children and my father. The black star-lit sky loomed over us as witnesses. I felt her press hard onto my chest.

"Have the freedom you deserve," She told me. I started to say 'I'm sorry' and then she immolated me with a spell. I felt the hot flames burn me alive and I screamed in pain. In my third incarnation, someone else: I went back to the ruins of the Castle and found what was left. I heard that there were no survivors from the Palace and the Empire had crumbled. Our cities overrun, our armies disbanded and scattered as Grimm killed them all. Our Empire had crumbled no thanks to both of us and my dream, or rather, the Gods' task of a reunited humanity was lost for a time.

Among the ruins of the palace, I found the iPhone amongst the rubble, still functional after all that time. Salem must've either not cared for it or something else. I tried to discern if she put any tracking spells or anything on it: no such luck.

As for the fate of my father and my children? I found two small charred fingers of a small child in what would've been a hall. I realized the fate of my children: they had been killed in the blast. My errors had killed my... our children. And thus began the long and torturous years ahead until the Vytal Treaty, or so I thought.

XXX

"Holy shit... that's my legacy: fixing the problems before all this? Fixing yours and Salem's mistakes?" Artyr asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Uncle," He said, putting his hand.

"Why didn't you tell the world about this? They deserve to know! Everything that happened?!" He asked. Uncle Oz looked at him and ishged.

"There'd be a panic, even if I told the kings then and the world now: there'd be a hell of a panic." He said.

"Witch hunts, a massive war, even. Probably a lot worse than the Great War, maybe as humanity would try to destroy every last Grimm on this planet, which would probably spawn even _more_ Grimm." He told me.

"Humanity would be wiped to barely even less than a hundred by my reckoning!"

"What about Salem? Is there a way to stop her?"

"Well, I used the relic of knowledge to see if there was a way to..." He hesitated and then sighed as he rubbed his face.

"Kill her," He said, shaking his head.

"Kill my own wife so that I can accomplish my goal," He told his nephew. Artyr looked at him.

"And?" He croaked, the thought of his own aunt becoming something so evil and his uncle thinking of killing her was just... unbelievable!

"The relics each have a spirit inside them with the powers of their respective attribute when you say their name around the artifact which holds said 'spirit'." Oz explained.

"Djinn, the Relic of Knowledge, told me that I can't after I asked her where the other artifacts were." He said. Artyr sighed.

"Well, shit." He said, sighing rubbing his face as his uncle said 'indeed'.

"And your plans for stopping her if any?" He asked as well.

"None," Oz spat.

"I can't think of anything," He said, scoffing.

"Salem will just use her orb to find their locations and then she summons the Gods back to Remnant so that she can pretty much start a new rebellion against the Gods after subduing humanity."

"And my ancestors? Dad? Marcus?" Artyr asked. Ozma sighed.

"I haven't a clue as to how, where and even when Adam sired a biological son, but he showed up after my third incarnation started getting old." Ozpin said.

"He told me he was a Jedi and that his last name was Sym. I asked him if Adam was his father and he said 'yes'. I asked him how long it had been since the Jedi heard of him and he says that it's been about twenty years since Adam disappeared for the Order. Then, about ten years later and him trying to fix things between me and Salem if he could find her... he vanishes and a new guy shows up about twenty-years later!" He said. He shook his head.

"Each and every member of my family-our family." Oz said, angrily and bitterly as his hands curled into fists.

"Has been taken away from this world for no damn reason and I'm pretty fucking sure that my ex-wife has been up to something about it!" He said, angrily. Artyr then had a growing pit feeling in his stomach. Ozma sighed and rubbed his eyes as he spoke and looked at his nephew.

"Artyr... did the Order have any records of any of your Order's heroes or otherwise meeting a red-eyed, ashen-pale woman?" He asked. Artyr then realized what he meant by asking.

"No," Artyr said, shaking his head. "No," He repeated.

"That's not possible," He whispered, thinking. His eyes widened and then they came to tears.

"Artyr?" Ozma asked, putting a hand on his nephew's arm as he saw his nephew think.

Artyr then started sobbing as the memories came back of his first unit's death: their screams and their deaths in the Force, and more importantly: _what killed them._

 _"That bitch," Artyr_ whispered.

 ** _"That..."_** His body began to grow into a much bigger form as his armor started to strain. Ozma started having tears in his eyes and sighed.

"I'm so, so sorry, Artyr." He told his nephew, sympathetically. Both of the Ozma and Ozpin souls agreed in their sympathy and sorrow for their natural kinsman.

 **"She killed my pod,"** Artyr said in his alternate form... or rather, his ancestral form. His bluish-green eyes started to sob as his gauntleted fists clenched.

"My aunt killed my brothers," He sobbed and then started to cry.


	37. Chapter 37: The Double Agent

Chapter 37

 **(A/N: Just so you all know: Elim Rawne himself from the hit _Warhammer 40,000_ franchise doesn't actually make an appearance. In fact, weapons appear, but not the characters. For the record: I grew up reading the first two omnibi of _Gaunt's Ghosts_. Dan Abnett was my entrance into Military Science Fiction with his _Iron Snakes_ book about the Iron Snakes Space Marine chapter)**

Salem stood in front of the shrine that she had made personally for her long-dead daughters. Various destroyed toys, bracelets were arranged neatly along with flowers that she had picked from various gardens around the world that she felt her daughters would've loved. She sighed. No one was currently around in this area of the castle.

"This never should've happened," She whispered.

"If your Grandpa had stayed, we would be together and we would've been a great family." She said to her long-dead daughters.

"If he had stayed, your father wouldn't have died and I would've been mortal still." She said, looking at her ashen-pale hands.

"And we would've had a very happy ending." She said, smiling.

"But, he didn't stay and your father died and everyone else did after that except for me." She said, sighing.

"I thought I would never see him again until your father reincarnated and came back to me," she said, smiling.

"The years we spent together before that-" Her eyes closed.

"-were happy. We finally started having a life like we planned." She smiled.

"Of course, I figured we might as well start advancing ourselves as back in the days before all of this, we weren't that great all things considered in terms of magic." She said.

"And this generation of humanity couldn't do magic, but they did have semblances and auras, which was..." She made an iffy gesture. She said.

She sighed. Why was she talking to the dead? Why? Just why? This was so stupid and foolish! Why?!

"I did everything so that I could make our family great," She said.

"That, and I guess it's because of your _other_ grandfather." She said.

"I never told you this, but my father was a real putz," She confessed.

"He locked me in a tower when I was a little girl for one reason or antoher, can't remember now." She rolled her eyes.

"I swear, some days I think I get senile or..." she paused.

"What was that one disease Adam spoke of?" She wondered. She sighed angrily as she said his name.

"Never mind, my point is: your grandfather was a cruel bastard and your father's father was a dead-beat shithead." She spat. What was the point of not swearing when your children were dead, your family was torn apart and your more... 'biological' members were on your ex-husband's side in this family feud? Every last Sym after Adam had come after her on Ozma's word alone and tried to kill her for her actions, because they thought that she killed her own daughters and the absurd belief in what they thought she would do to them?! She shuddered and growled angrily as she heard the accusations of the most unsavory conduct she was accused of.

"I was in a tower for a long time and the only way that I could be saved was by a brave warrior/mage or whatever." She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"It sucked being in that tower, honestly. Sucked worse than Hans shitting on the rug in the Palace." She said, smiling at the shrine. She wanted the ghosts to chuckle at the memories of the long-dead and troublesome dog that bore the unofficial titles of 'Rug-stainer, 'shit-stainer' and 'baddest dog in the Empire'. The last one was the child-friendly version of the term that Adam had used around the girls. She sighed.

"Well, Hans always did leave a mess. Sorry about what happened to him and me lying to you about it." She apologized.

"It kind of..." She rolled her hands as she spoke.

"Happened," She said as she recalled kicking the dog out of the Palace after it shat on the good rug that they used for royal entrances. The _last_ good rug they had that wasn't shat or pissed on. And what happened afterwards was her literally kicking the dog out of the house literally. She called for it later on for it to return and it didn't answer. She did so again and went out.

It turned out that the dog had landed on its neck when she kicked it out about a half-mile away and it died on impact. She had been horrified... but strangely and sadistically pleased. That was one problem taken care of. Now, to hide the crime. Of course, Ozma found out and she, for once, told the truth about what happened. Ozma was horrified and then they both lied and said the dog got killed by Grimm... for which about half the Empire's Grimm all got killed in about one day as he summoned them in one place. And killed them only the Gods themselves knew. She knew they all died as she felt their pain, anger, and more importantly: their fear as they died. It was like, he had killed them all at once. As if he had used the Force to kill every last one of them at the same time.

"I assure you I never intended Hans to die, I just wanted him to stop shitting on everything." She confessed.

"I hope he's keeping you all happy as he did in life," She said, smiling a small smile as she imagined her dead children playing with the dog in the afterlife.

"I know how much Grandpa meant to you, four." She said.

"And if he's listening..." She then became serious in her expression.

"I want you to tell him how he made Mommy very angry and sad at what he did and what he didn't do for us." She said.

"He missed a few of your birthdays and festivals we established... for what?" She asked, snarling.

"To go adventuring? To go do something away from his own family?" She speculated angrily.

"Nevertheless, I hope you like meeting your cousins, my sweets." She said, her fires alight with anger as the windows cracked.

"For I don't like meeting them _at all_."

XXX

He sensed anger in the distance. He smiled as he took a sip of his whiskey. He felt the alcohol's bite, but his mind was unfettered by the bonds of alcohol.

Obviously, he couldn't get drunk anymore as he wasn't exactly.. human. Before his world ended, he and others of his world could get drunk and get high and all kinds of other crazy things. But after the world ended and the bargain their leaders made (without their charges' consent, mind you), people changed. The few survivors were altered in a way that they couldn't exactly die the usual ways like diseases, vacuum of space, et cetera. Now, you could die from a lightsaber in his case... or by getting sucked into a black hole, but there was also one material not known to many that could kill them.

He sighed. He had been waiting for this period of Remnant's history for a long time, a _very_ long time. So long that he had practically seen the births of each one of his descendants that came after him save for a few. Like his namesake, he was the first of a new race of beings, having been the first one to literally take the plunge. And like his namesake, he also had his own sins that passed down to his own descendants. Sins that they paid for, though he wished they never had to. He took out a cigarette and lit it.

He then felt something buzz in his pocket and brought it out as his scroll blew up.

 _E: Report in ASAP. We need to talk. We haven't heard from you in a while and we'd like to know what's going on._

He sighed and dipped his head as he puffed a smoke from his newly-lit cigarette. He felt a disturbance in the Force. It had been easy for someone as old as him to hide his own Force-sensitivity as he was technically one of the first Jedi from both his homeworld and the Order.

There would've been others like himself in the Order but the Force Wars happened. His face fell as he thought about it. He recalled the devastating war and its effects as well as the betrayal that he faced. He was no stranger to war. If anything, he and War would be considered old friends. However, he had his reasons for war, namely: the preservation of his family and race. As well as that of other worlds that he fought for.

"How's it going, old man?" He asked, giving the newcomer a salute. He felt the familiar presence come next to him and sit down in the bar.

His familiar and (to him) repugnant resonant voice spoke in a foreign tongue to keep up the cover of his agent.

 _"Tá súil agam go bhfuil do chuid pleananna ag dul go maith?"_ _'I trust your plans are going well, First of your kind?'_

The man smiled as he looked at his 'handler'. He looked largely the same save the business suit he now wore.

 _"Díreach faoi,"_ He answered. _'Just about.'_

 _"Chomh fada is nach mbainfidh tú na bardaí amach mar is gnách."_ He added, pointing at the man as he spoke. ' _So long as you bastards don't mess things up as usual.'_

The only other patron this time of night was a regular as well as familiar to both of them in another time and place: a dusty-haired man that was in his early-forties drinking his life away (as usual). His weapon was holstered on his back and his cape flowed behind him as he wore a white collared shirt that was untucked with a necklace that had a slanted cross as well as long dress pants and dress shoes. He was too lost in his drinking woes to care.

"I have come to tell you something:" The old one. said, still speaking the language.

"If it's one of your 'tasks'-" He started to say to the older 'man' with a glare.

"Actually, I was informing that there's an event that you may or may not want to intervene." The old man corrected him. The first one of his kind tilted his head in interest. What was it?

"There's a lot of events I have interest in intervening or have _had_ intervened," He reminded his handler, coolly as he took out a cigarette and started smoking. He had fought a lot of wars in his time and saw a lot of devastation. There were several others he wanted to intervene in now. He was getting older now, he figured.

"One involving a Duchess, two Dathomiri Nightbrothers and a combined army of renegade warriors and gangsters?" The handler reminded him.

He looked at him as he leaned on the counter as his other hand reached for a few lien to pay for his whiskey.

"It's happening now?" He asked, flatly.

"Within the next hour, yes." The handler affirmed.

"No," The employee said in Vytalian.

"Not happening, not now." The employee told him flatly back in the foreign tongue. The emolo

"I've been working on something for a long time right now: a _very_ long time." He said, leaning forward.

"I've got members of the family that are in on it searching for alternate ways to stop what's coming and what _may_ happen." He added, counting with his fingers.

"You wouldn't believe the complete shite they've had to go through and as it is: that whole tradition you started? It's not helping. Not one bit." The employee said, leaning forward.

"You do realize the new kid knows his Da's around here somewhere and his wife is up and down cursing his name for what he's done, right?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he spoke irritated.

"Of course, I tried to tell her that it wasn't exactly always like this, but she didn't listen and she wanted to come back here, which _we did._ "

"At the very least, we allowed Aogust's sons to arrive back home before their time." The employer said. The drunkard looked up at the mention of 'Aogust'. The employee sighed and then looked at the drunkard, whom looked back at him with groggy eyes.

"'Ey, I coulda' swern I herd ya' say sometin' abou' Aogust?" He asked in his slurred speech. The employee sighed.

"I've yet to see a reality where that guy _isn't_ drunk for one reason or another," He groaned. He looked at his old handler whom nodded and then proceeded to walk up to the drunk forty-year-old man.

"'Ey, aren't you one of my niece's schoo-" he started to say right as his face was blasted by a fist so hard that he crashed to the floor, passed out with a bleeding nose. He then propped the man up on a booth and made sure his broken nose's blood wasn't obstructing his oxygen pathways. Wouldn't want asphyxiation to happen to young Rose's Uncle, now would they?

He smiled as he patted the knocked out huntsman. Just then, his phone buzzed again. He grunted in anger and then stopped and sighed.

"You'll be rid of your curse someday," He told the not-hearing man, smiling as though he were a good friend.

He then brought up his scroll and called a cab for him to be taken home. Then, he had the worst thought: Where did Qrow Branwen live? He looked at his old employer who told him the answer with a formal tone.

"Thanks," The man said in Vytalian.

"Well, we do owe you much for what has happened and your family has served us well." The handler said in the foreign language. The first of his kind looked back at him with an angry expression that showed untold years worth of suffering and hate.

"You owe us a _hell_ of a lot more than that and you owe what's left of my entire race for what you put us millions' of years' worth of counseling!" The first one said, angrily in Gaelic as he slammed the table, his fist making a massive crack in the bar.

"Hey! You break it, you-" The man interrupted the bartender by giving him a huge bag to which he opened it, discovering a huge bag of lien that looked like it had probably tens of thousands of the currency. He gasped in surprise and looked up.

"Just make sure that the guy over there gets into his cab and pay about half of that to him to make sure he gets into his house safe and sound, ya' hear?" The First One told him in Vytalian.

"He's a good friend of mine and he's suffered a lot," He said, looking at the passed-out huntsman. The bartender looked at him as he adjusted his glasses.

"Oh, and the rest is on my tab and for the next-like fifty patrons, by my reckoning." The First One said, smiling. The employer looked at him with a small smile as he looked from the bartender to his oldest 'employee' and sighed as he shook his head.

"Anyway, I've got a meeting to get to." The First one said in Vytalian, jerking his thumb at the door.

"Also: if you have any of my family do your 'favors' again," He warned as he smiled cheerfully. The smile became evil as he looked at his employer.

"I still have the Winchesters' Godkiller gun," At this, the older man smiled back and then snapped his fingers.

His 'employee' disappeared in a flash of light.

"Impudent, insolent, arrogant child," He said in an ancient language as his face became unamused. The bartender stood in shock. He then snapped his fingers and the man had a blank expression.

"Qrow Branwen broke the bar counter by smashing his head on it. The payment's from a friend and you never heard the name 'Aogust' or the previous conversation." The elder one said. The bartender blinked and then repeated the instructions and the old man disappeared.

Said bartender then looked at the gold with a smile, the crack in his bar with a frown and the passed out drunk Qrow Branwen was awoken by a loud 'DAMMIT QROW! LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY COUNTER!'

XXX

Emerald sighed as she checked her scroll for the umpteenth time. The fourth member of their so-called 'team' was supposed arrive. Cinder was away and the people she was stuck with were Mercury (annoying as hell), Roman (a slick bastard that would sell his own mom to get out of prison), and Neo. Neo, she felt was alright, she guessed, though she wondered just why she couldn't talk. She never 'talked' about it. Must've been real bad. Not only that, but she and Torchwick were close so it was possible that they could be knocking boots (great blackmail material) or possibly brother and sister or something or other. One wasn't sure about those two.

Nothing new from Cinder save that she was still in the middle of some kind of training which she would also pass on to the rest of the team and Neo as well if she was interested. Torchwick was a bit of a 'no' as Neo was a better ally than that sleazebag.

She wondered what kind of training Cinder was doing and would pass on to them? She then thought about the last member of their group. He was the oldest man that she knew: about sixty- past old man Watts, the arrogant dickhead. Unlike Watts, the guy actually treated the others in the team with respect or something like it. He had a strange semblance: Shapeshifting. He could change forms into usually a male something like say a faunus or a human, but always male.

What she loved about him were his outlandish stories of wars that he had been in that she never heard of and things that he did that quite frankly she called 'bullshit'. Still, they were entertaining. But, the one thing that he never really liked talking about was where he was from.

Cinder found her first and then Mercury. After that, he found Cinder. She didn't know how and no one knew why, but he wanted to join her group or 'Salem's Witch Club'. as the old man called it. It seemed strange, someone actively seeking it out. It almost made her think he was on Ozpin's side.

She felt the wind shift and she looked up as Mercury was reading a comic book that he found. The workers all stopped and listened for something. They looked around, tense. She looked around the wide open area, the smell of dust particles in the air as well as the faint smell of feces, urine, and leftover food wrappers lying around was in the air.

Just then, Merc flung his book at something in the darkness with something being thrown on the ground right in the middle of them. She froze with fear at what it was.

"Grena-" She started to say when it exploded. Her eyesight was blinded by the white light and ringing filled her ears like after a bombing. She blinked and rubbed her eyes as she staggered. She put her hands on her weapons to take out the threat as the ringing subsided. Fear gripped her heart. How were they seen?! Why hadn't Neo dealt with them?! She was capable of teleporting around. Not only that, but if she wasn't wearing pink-whtie-and brown colored clothing, she would've made an excellent scout. Still, Neo was Neo, but that wasn't the point right now!

She was blind as she tried to listen for anything, anything to indicate what was going on. Her first instinct was to open fire on anything and everything, but she didn't want to cause a big dispute with the extremist Faunus group over killing some of their members during a raid by their enemies. She rubbed her eyes, using her knuckles as she drew her weapons as the ringing subsided and her vision turned back to normal. She blinked as she saw a very unusual sight. Mercury was on the ground, grunting in pain as he was belly-down on the floor as his right hand was held in a very uncomfortable position above and behind his head. Both of his prosthetic legs were stepped on and he was unable to move thanks to the feet that were on him.

To the average on-looker, the old-timer looked like an old-school rock fan with his black long-sleeved shirt that held the numbers '42' and jeans that fit him. His muscles were still good despite him pushing past sixty or so he looked. His hair was short and gray with his greenish-blue eyes looking down on the younger man with the gaze of a teacher and an elder. A Broodnix cap sat on his head.

"Seriously, Merc? You weren't even listening when I pulled the pin on that flashbang." The old man lectured in his strange lilt. He twisted it a little further and Mercury grunted in pain.

"You were too damned busy reading that fething comic book to notice when I started walking. Hell, those faunus over there heard me before you did." The old man scolded, jerking his head over to the faunus who stood in shock.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Merc yelled. Emerald smiled a small smile as the man let the youngster go and stepped off of his legs. He looked at her as he crossed his arms. His height was that of an average man: 5'8 if one went by a certain measurement. He sighed as he had heavy bags under his eyes. His clothes had dirt on them for some reason and his sneakers were caked in mud.

"How's it going, Em?" The man said, looking at Emerald like that of a father as he smiled. She found it strange and yet... reassuring like he truly cared about how she was. She then became serious.

The faunus stood in shock initially but then muttered to eachother angrily as they realized that the newcomer was one of their 'allies'. They went back to work.

"You haven't reported in a month-and-a-half. What the hell?" She asked, crossing her arms. He sighed as he looked away. His voice was older and deeper than hers.

"Look, I had to make sure that they didn't suspect anything, alright?" he said, raising his hands in self-defense.

"Do you realize how odd it would be for a guy like me," He then cleared his throat and his voice became much younger like that of a young man.

"talking to someone on his scroll like that of an old coot?" He asked, leaning forward. His voice changed back to normal. Mercury had by now gotten back up and rubbed his wrist.

"Old bastard," he muttered. The elder man sighed and shook his head.

"You're young, Merc. You've got potential to be something, honestly." The old man said, crossing his arms.

"But, you need to work on your awareness. And I'm not just talking about your surroundings." He lectured.

"Oh?" Mercury asked, crossing his arms as well. The old man had a serious look, the kind he gave during lessons and serious matters.

"You're not going to believe what I'm going to tell you." He said, gesturing them to come near.

"So, I infiltrated the school as planned, right? Made myself a name after someone I knew from back in Armagh: Tyler Doyle." He said.

"Great guy, was a fighter during the Civil War we had, right up until he left to start a family, parted on good terms."

"Now's not the time for-" Emerald started to say.

"Right, right. Sorry, old man memories, sorry." The old man said, defensively.

"So, I got paired up with a fox faunus named Yi Shen. My teammates are also Rebecca Winden, whom by the way, is a granddaughter of the school doctor." Their fourth 'teammate' said.

"Huh, must be awkward being around a much younger woman?" Emerald said, smiling wickedly. Merc chuckled.

"My wife died a long time ago and I've got no interest in girls young enough to be my grandkids, thank you very much." The old man said, angrily. She had to admit it, the old man had standards... but could he back them up? She planned on a wicked challenge when the rest of the team infiltrated Beacon under the guise of students from Haven over in Mystral. It was going to be funny watching the old man get embarrassed if things turned out to be different than what he said.

"So, you want the info I have or not?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Also, did you tell that guy that got arrested about me? The punk-arse-bitch who calls himself a 'mastermind'?" He said the last phrase a little loud. Both Merc and Emerald grimaced as Neo appeared right behind him with an angry look like she was about to kill him. The man grinned wickedly as his eyes went to the left as he turned. For a moment, Emerald felt a bit unnerved by that grin, like he was about to do something bad... really bad.

"And who might you be, young lass?" He asked with a smile. She crossed her arms in response and didn't respond as she looked at Emerald with a questioning and skeptical look.

"Neo, this is Elim Rawne, he's one of our people." Emerald explained.

"Formerly of the Tanith-First-And-Only." Elim said, bowing with his left hand extended as he looked up at her with his sickening grin. She glared at him in response as she gritted her teeth.

"Well, this is surprising: you didn't tell me there were more in your little clique." Roman's voice said.

"And you might be?" Elim asked, raising an eyebrow as Roman walked out of the shadows from hjs resting spot.

"Roman Torchwick, the 'punk-arse-bitch' you just talked shit about." Roman answered lighting his cigar.

"Tell me, Torch." Elim asked, hands in his pocket as he walked up to Roman.

"What kind of a little bitch wears white in the middle of the fething night?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"I like the style of it,"

"Oh, so every cop in Vale can shoot yer sorry arse and swiss cheese it?" Elim taunted. Roman gritted his teeth.

"Mate, let me tell you something." Elim began.

"I've done a lot of infiltration and recon work back in the First-And-Only, back home in Armagh." The old man said, jerking his thumb back.

"'Armagh'?" Roman asked, raising an eyebrow. Elim nodded.

"It's an island, would've been considered a kind of continent itself if the War hadn't happened." Elim said, bitterly.

"War? There hasn't been a war in a hundred years, pal." Roman said, skeptically.

"The war that you people knew that ended." Elim scoffed at Roman, his spittle going into Roman's face.

"Ours ended with our homeland being destroyed and our people scattered." He said, angrily. His fists clenched as his eyes darted back and forth as his eyes closed in painful memory.

"Y'see, I sought Cinder's group out to see if I can get help for my people." Elim said.

"And if it means I have to infiltrate a school full of kids? Sure." Elim nodded. Roman blinked.

"You infiltrated Beacon Academy," He said in disbelief. Elim's face then changed from old and wrinkly with white hair to that of a younger man with firmer skin and leaner muscles.

"That's right," The now-younger-man said. Torchwick blinked and Neo's jaw dropped in response.

"I can shapeshift, that's my semblance." He said, smiling.

"It's how I was able to do my job back then," He said, jerking a thumb behind his back.

"Suppose we believe you are whom you say you are," Roman said, looking at him suspiciously.

"What kind of info could you bring?"

"The biggest one of all: The guy that took you down like a little bitch." Elim said, looking at him.

"Kid's name is Artyr Sym," Elim began, gesturing for everyone to listen in.

"And he's something called a 'Jedi Knight," He began. They all listened with a few comments as Elim talked about how Artyr's order were guardians of an interstellar constitutional republic that consisted of hundreds to thousands or maybe even tens of thousands of star systems, each system holding a particular race of beings that were completely alien. Strangely, there were humans as well.

"Wait... there are humans in outer space... but they're not from Remant?" Torchwick asked.

"Artyr's proof of that, obviously. What do you think that sword he wielded was? A dust-saber? Nah," He said, dismissively. He then spoke about the Jedi and the Sith, the two rival orders that had differing views.

"So, there's this thing called the 'Force' that both orders use,"

"Used," Elim corrected her.

"What?"

"Used... The Sith almost all got destroyed a thousand years ago on their homeworld. Only one survived, a guy named 'Bane' and he founded a new order that only comprised of a master and an apprentice. And guess what happens to the Master when the Apprentice becomes powerful enough?"

"He surpasses said master?" Merc guessed. Elim shook his head.

"He kills his master and becomes the new one. Then, he takes a new apprentice so that the order will survive even though the Master wants to keep his power and the apprentice wants to gain it." Merc frowned and Emerald rubbed the back of her head, trying to calm down.

"Okay, say that we believe that..." Torchwick said, a bit weirded out.

"Suppose that we believe this whole thing... how come we never heard of this 'Republic', hell why haven't the Jedi or Sith shown up in the past?"

"Oh, they did alright: Except it wasn't a particular Jedi, so much as a family of them." Elim said, cryptically.

"'Family'? Jedi have kids? You said they're an order, orders don't usually let their members have kids be born to them if I'm not mistaken," Roman said, skeptical.

"A whole family of Jedi came to Remnant all at once?" Emerald asked in disbelief.

"No," Elim said, shaking his head.

'The first of that family was also one of the first Jedi whom ever lived, a refugee from a world now-long destroyed and forgotten by time." He said.

"Their people, like mine, decided to leave their world. This guy's considered a legend in the Order, though the records about him are few, according to young Art." Elim said.

"How do you know all this?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Elim grinned. Emerald and Merc looked at him as did Neo and Torchwick.

Then, they all realized it.

" ou're on his team! You're on the Jedi's team!" Emerald exclaiming, pointing at him. Mercury laughed out loud as Roman shook in fear.

"Oh... shit," He muttered in fear, hiding his look of fear.

"Ah, relax, Torch. I'd never rat you out." Elim said, dismissively. Torchwick looked at him suspiciously right when Elim said the magic words.

"Unless you're involved in human trafficking." There was dead silence at this as Emerald and Merc stood silent at Elim's sentence. He looked at Roman who sweated. Neo glared at the old man who stared accusingly at Roman.

"Uh," The master burglar said, rubbing the back of his head. Elim laughed.

"Just kidding!" He said, putting an arm around Torchwick.

"I know enough about you to know that you'd never do that kind of thing," He said before whispering in Roman's ear. Roman looked at Elim with a very scared look. Elim calmly grinned.

"Yep. It's happened before, trust me on that one." The old recon soldier admitted, nodding. Neo's face paled as she wondered just who in the hell this guy was.

"Also: if you threaten those two kids over there?" Elim said, jerking his thumb over at Mercury and Emerald. His face became serious as it dipped and his tone became threatening.

"I will feth you up worse than that kid ever did, you feel me?" Merc blinked.

"Well, least he's showing loyalty," Emerald whispered.

"Yeah, but Cinder still kind of doesn't trust him after that stunt he pulled." Merc whispered back.

"Heard that! But, I'll disregard it." Elim said, pointing at them.

"Anyhoo, where was I?" Elim said, thinking. He then remembered and then started talking about how the Sym family had come to Remnant since Adam came at the dawn of this world. There had been a lot of Syms over the years that came. Usually there was just one male, but sometimes there were twins. But, strangely, after they appeared, they disappeared. With no explanation of where they went or why.

"I know about Aogust Sym, he was a legendary huntsman in his day, about twenty-five years ago. He hung out with Team STRQ, if I'm remembering things right." Roman said, jerking a thumb back.

"Qrow," Emerald whispered under her breath.

"Yeah, I heard a lot of stories about him... bad ones: like what happened to those that got on his bad side: chopped off limbs, crushed into balls of flesh and bone, that sort of thing." Roman said.

"I saw him fight several times when I was a huntsman, but I never saw him again for the longest time." Roman said.

"Kind of makes you wonder what's making them all disappear like that. Maybe they've got an enemy we could use." Roman said, thinking aloud.

"I wouldn't be so sure," He said.

"Sith Lords are some of the most powerful beings in the galaxy, according to Artyr. There were cases where they drained entire planets chock full of people, plants, and animals of life itself." Elim said with a straight face. All four of his confederates looked at him.

"You're joking, right?"

"Nope,"

"Also: our school doctor's an ex-Sith Lady whose granddaughter just happens to be on my team. Though, I would advise against using that against the grandmother as she's a mean old witch who can kill you as so much as look at you." Elim said, casually like he was talking at a bar. Their reactions said it all: pure and complete confusion and terror.

"Y'know," Emerald said aloud after licking her lips and laughing nervously.

"I'll admit it: we're calling Cinder. We're calling her _now_." She said, bringing out her scroll.

"Because: I really think we're over our heads here." She said.

"Also, I forgot some things about what Force-users can do and what lightsabers can cut." Elim said, before explaining to the horrified conspirators what they were up against. Needless to say: _no one_ was happy. Neo disappeared in a flash, Roman slumped in his chair and rubbed his chin about what to do. Mercury went off to think about how to counter Jedi/Sith fighting styles and Emerald was left to ponder just what the hell she had gotten herself into now.


	38. Chapter 38: One Last Mission For A Mom

Chapter 38

 _(A/N: 'Where's The Beef' is from a Burger King tagline in an advertisement, 'What's Your Beef' was promptly spoken by the Great-And-Powerful-Man-in-Black Will Smith during his career on the hit show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I also do realize I am making Revan a bit OOC. My apologies. Wanted a bit of a funny version. Also, Jaden Toa was one of the names of the Revan male Soldiers that I had running around when I played the game._

In the darkness of an apartment, she wept. It smelled of booze, sweat, food, and trash. Her appearance was unkempt, her hair wild and her clothes were dirty for having worn them for weeks. Bottles of wine and ale littered the floor and holes were in the wall from her punching them.

Almira looked at the doctored holo-image on her hand-held projector. It showed herself alongside Bellophoron. Standing between them was a ten-year-old Artyr. She smiled softly.

They would've made an odd family: an alien for a father, a human for a mother and a half-other-alien for a son. She sighed as the memory came back.

 _It had been a passionate night and they were exhausted, but happy. She lay panting in their bed in the private home that they shared. They made sure to do this once every two weeks. Both wore the wedding bands that they had when they weren't around other Jedi as they were technically secretly married._

 _Bellophoron sighed happily._

 _"By the Force," He whispered, holding her hand as he breathed. She was covered by a bed sheet._

 _"How many times now?" He asked._

 _"Five," She answered, looking at him. He looked back and kissed her lips._

 _"How did the meeting with the Council go?" She asked. He looked at her and sighed. She had just returned from a mission in the Outer Rim. It had been a rough few weeks but she completed it. He had been back here for awhile now._

 _"I'm to train a padawan," He told her. She sat up._

 _"That's great!" She said, happily._

 _"His name's Artyr, Artyr Sym." He told her. She blinked. She heard the name. Memories of a young boy's screams in the night came to mind. Fear took hold of her._

 _"The boy with the nightmares?!" She said, exasperated as she shook her head. The moons of Coruscant shone through their windows._

 _"He's our son, now." he told her. She looked at him.  
"What?" She asked in disbelief. _

_"We talked about having a child for years now, 'Mira." He reminded her._

 _"We can't conceive because that would raise questions. So, why not a padawan? Why not? They're all usually orphans or taken with consent or something or other." Bellophoron reasoned as he shrugged. She shook her head._

 _"You stupid, stupid fool." She said, shaking her head._

 _"You can't just take a padawan for a son!" She scolded him. He rubbed his face.  
_

 _"'Mira," He started to say as he looked at her, his cobalt-horned head shone in the night._

 _"I just met the kid. I was there during one of his episodes." He told her. His face became sad._

 _"I saw what he saw... and I know there's something else going on..." He added, concerned._

 _"Master Yoda didn't give me all the details, but according to him, he's the latest in a long line of Jedi." He told her._

 _"'Line?" She repeated._

 _"There haven't been Jedi families in centuries, Bell. You can't do that anymore." She reminded him._

 _"I know," Bell told her slightly angry. He sighed and tried to calm down._

 _"But, I got a look at his genetic pedigree... did you know that his family goes all the way back to the founding of this order?" He asked her. She blinked and tilted her head._

 _"_ That _far!" he told her, pointing out the window for emphasis._

 _"And Master Yoda just up and gives him over to me for training because he thinks that I'm 'Master' material." Bell told her, scoffing. He sighed._

 _"Quite frankly: I'm not ready to be a Master. Hell, I'm not even ready to be a father!" He told her honestly._

 _"But, Master Yoda told me that I was 'it' and so I am." He told her._

 _"I just met Artyr." He told her._

 _"He's a sweet kid, looks after a youngling named Ahsoka, says she's his sister." He told her. He smiled as she blinked._

 _"A sister? Oh Force," She whispered putting her hands over her mouth._

 _"I don't know how we could possibly pull this off having two adopted children as Jedi when they themselves are Jedi." She told him._

 _"They don't need to. Y'see, Plo Koon is like a father or uncle to her." Bell explained to her._

 _"So, we could possibly pull this off?" She said, thinking._

 _"We just need to make sure no one suspects a thing." he sighed._

 _"It means there's going to be a lot less moments like this," he told her. She sighed and rubbed her eyes._

 _"I'll take that chance," She sighed._

 _"We're going to tell him slowly," He told her._

 _"Well, how do we officially-unofficially adopt him?" She asked._

 _"We do what we can: make him feel like he's family." He told her._

 _"I'll raise him as best as I can," He added._

 _"But," He said, holding her hand._

 _"If I fall, I want you to take over for me. He's never known a father and he sure as hell never knew a mother." He told her. She looked at him._

 _"Bell," She told him, a bit scared at what he was saying. He looked at her before he kissed her passionately to reassure her._

 _"I want him to, at the very least, know his adoptive Mother, alright?" He asked._

 _"Promise me, you'll look after him, 'Mira. Promise me." He told her, holding her hand. She looked into his eyes._

 _"We'll do what we can for now," He told her. They began again. The next day, he started training Artyr as his Master.  
XXX_

"My boy. My sweet, sweet boy." She whispered, slurred from her drinking. She sniffled as she looked down at the projector. She cried as she put a hand over her face.

"I never should've let you go down there," She whispered.

"Never should've left you," She told him. First it had been Bellophoron and then their son Artyr. She recalled seeing Artyr talk with Lira during their stay on Kamino and them talking afterwards. She had warned him about attachments, but secretly she smiled to herself. The boy was turning into a man after all.

And now, they were both gone. Lira had been kidnapped and she had felt Artyr disappear in the Force. She had felt his fear as he departed. She had been interrogating the base commander when Alyx and Samson had come to her. There had been Comms interference and they had told her his last words. At first, she had wanted to go after him, but then, she had a mission to complete. They got the prisoner out and as much documents that they could take as they felt Count Dooku's arrival. They snuck out of the base and somehow made it out alive.

Artyr never came out of it, but she knew that he was gone, someway, somehow that he was gone. Intelligence had spent weeks looking for him but no mention of Artyr was made on Separatist channels. He wasn't imprisoned by them according to the Intel operatives. The Hutt Cartel didn't have them, someone had obviously coerced the Hutts into speaking as the one Hutt that came by that learned of it told her in a sort of fearful way as though he feared being killed. It seemed as if someone had threatened him into talking somehow. They were some of the most powerful Underworld crime lords. What could scare a Hutt? Hell, what would scare representatives of the Black Sun Syndicate as well when another 'delegate' told her the truth. The Order hadn't consented. First, he was missing in action. Then, they considered him MIA (Presumed Dead). A eulogy, of all things, was made by the Supreme Chancellor and they actually made him a 'Hero of the Republic'. A bit odd, everyone thought, making a Jedi Padawan that was part-alien be a national hero.

Propaganda films were made of him for his actions during Athys, Geonosis, and a lot of other worlds. Doctored information of course. The Council made sure that the Chancellor and the Senate didn't find out about his alternate form... the one that massacred an entire army of Separatists in a single city and so many others in the War and even before.

A presence in the Force awoke her from her drunken grieving. It was old and familiar. She sat upright and put the bottle away, cursing under her breath. She went over to the door of her apartment and opened it before the person could knock. She looked up, as was her first instinct, and then down to see a familiar old, and green wrinkly face.

"Good to see you, it is: Almira." Master Yoda said, his hood up as he looked up at the former Jedi. She blinked. He then took a whiff and frowned.

"Much ordered, you were before Artyr's disappearance." He said, holding his nose.

"Uh..." She thought as she was a bit drunk at the moment.

"Let me in, will you? Or must I stand here outside all day?" He asked, looking up at her. She blinked and let him in. He sighed.

"I've only got good whiskey, beer, ale, and even wine. Along with instant-foodstuffs you can cook." She told him, closing the door.. Yoda looked at her and shook his head.

"Drink too much, you do."

"Act without emotion too much, you do." She retorted.

"Fair enough," Yoda nodded. He looked around.

He then flipped his finger as if flipping a switch and the light turned on. She was blinded by the light and grunted as she rubbed her eyes.

"See the light harshly, those who have been living in darkness for awhile do, hmm?" Yoda lectured as he saw her rub her eyes.

"This is why we preach non-attachment, Almira." Yoda lectured her like a grandfather.

"Spare me the scoldings and lectures, I'm not a little kid anymore." She growled. Yoda looked up at her.

"Came here I did, to talk to you." He said.

"Sit, If I may?" He asked.

"Of course," She told him. She then sat on another cheap chair she had bought as he sat on the couch.

"Need to clean the couch, smell beer I do." He then said.

"Shit leads to grief and crazy, grief and crazy lead to beer, beer leads to drunk-off-your-ass, drunk-off-your-ass leads to hangover and repeat." She told him in a mocking tone that mimicked his own. He blinked and sighed.

"Kriffed up that is," He said aloud. She blinked and her eyes widened as she leaned forward. Did Master Yoda just cuss?! _Noone_ ever heard him cuss!

"This is why we never have emotion," He said, shaking his head.

"But, nevertheless." He said, producing pieces of about twenty or thirty papers. She looked down. The last four looked recent, but the others looked old as centuries. They all looked almost the same. They all looked like drawings made by teenagers or children.

All held a shattered moon, black-furred creatures with white masks and armor on their faces and evil red eyes. There was also an ashen pale woman with black sclera and torturous red eyes. Her hair was arrayed like horns adorned with jewels and a bun on the back of it. She looked strangely beautiful and deadly with her black finger-nails and her black robe and cape.

"What is this?" She asked.

"As a child, Artyr would draw this to cope with his nightmares." Yoda lectured.

"He told me about them when he was about five or six." He said, softly.

"I asked him to draw as a hobby and a way to cope. He did so, but never gave them to me." he said.

"Just what was he seeing and are these his too?" She asked, looking at the others that were old and faded.

"No, those are his ancestors' when they were just children as well, going back nearly seven hundred years before Aogust disappeared. I have seen collections in the restricted access of it that go back more than five thousand years." Yoda explained. She looked at him in shock.

"Know about his pedigree, do you?" Yoda said, looking at her. She blinked and sighed.

"Bellophoron told me about it the day before he took Artyr for training." She confessed, while holding back that Bell had been her secret husband.

"Sense something else, I do. Intimate, your relationship was?" Yoda asked. She sighed.

"We were married, Master. We tried to keep it a secret for a while until he died." Yoda's face and arms fell.

"Married," He echoed. he sighed and rubbed his face.

"You can't do anything about it now: I've already left." She told him, smug. He looked at her.

"Obviously. And obviously, adopted Artyr you two did, under our nose. Though his father still lived after being missing for five centuries." He told her. She looked at him in shock. His father was still alive?! Where was he?!

"Dispatched to Outer Rim on reports of a strange disturbance, Aogust Sym was. Never heard from him again, we did. Until sixteen years ago," He told her. She shook her head, in disbelief. This was just too unreal. A five hundred year old Jedi?!

"I know he comes from a long line of Jedi but a five-hundred year old Jedi for a father? That's a bit much don't you think?" He looked at her.

"Habit of disappearing, his family has." Yoda told her.

"A Sym there was, in almost every crisis our order faced. For five hundred years, no Sym appeared."

"And how exactly do they appear? Where did Aogust get his kid? He had to have genetically engineered him." Almira said, wondering.

"No, naturally made, he assured us when he took Artyr to us." Yoda said.

"Felt wrong, it did. At least, to me." He said, putting a hand on his chest.

"Asked him, if the boy's mother consented. He told me no answer. Told me he did, that when the time comes, Artyr would too go the way of his ancestors and leave us." Yoda said. He sighed.

"Promised not to tell Artyr about his family, Aogust made me." He said, shaking his head. Almira blinked.

"The council knew about his family... and yet other Jedi didn't?" She asked, thinking. A line of Jedi going back aways would make someone famous or infamous depending on whom you asked.

"'Dirty little secret' they are." Yoda told her. She knew what he meant at this.

"Do all Syms turn into..." She paused. Yoda nodded.

"Yes," He answered, sadly.

"Turn into a horrible, rage-fueled monster, they can. Happens during times of duress and great stress, though the first of their family was originally in that form." Yoda answered.

"Do we know what his race was called? Or their homeworld? Where they get the women needed to produce their children?" She asked. He shook his head.

"No." He answered.

"Among the first of the Jedi, his ancestor was. Adam Sym, he called himself. A warrior during the Force Wars, he was." Yoda began.

"Served with the Order after its founding, he did. One of the first to make 'Jedi Master', he was as well." Yoda said.

"See eye to eye, Master Sym and the Council did not. To be by himself, Adam did. Disappeared, he did. Searched for him, we did. Not a trace found." Yoda said.

"Twenty years later, a baby was delivered to the Jedi Order. Surprised, they were, when he turned into the other form during training." He said.

"Knew something was wrong, they did." He added, sadly.

"Discovered, Adam Sym was the boy's father. Letter that came with the baby said his name was 'Abel'." Yoda explained.

"Afterwards, Abel Sym, upon becoming a knight, left after a period of time. Disappeared too, he did. And so the cycle continued on and on. Perplexed, the Order is, over this." Yoda said.

"In almost every crisis, the family has served. Save the past five centuries, why that is, I know not." Yoda admitted.

"Why are you telling me this?" Almira asked.

"Because, you were his master," Yoda told her.

"And in a way, his mother." The old Jedi added as well. She looked at him sadly and sighed.

"He's never coming back to me, isn't he?" She asked. Yoda looked at her.

"Not sure, I am. But, know this I do." Yoda said, producing a holoprojector.

"This morning, it appeared into my quarters. Beside it, note there was."

"What'd it say?" She asked. The old Jedi leaned forward and he spoke one phrase.

"'He lives'," She blinked and he used the Force to set the projector on the coffee table. She pressed the button. She was greeted with a very strange sight. It appeared to be some kind of security footage. An old man stood behind a counter doing his business. The store seemed primitive to her, well, most everyone she knew would say that. Behind several stands of magazines was a human girl in a strange dress reading magazines while listening to music.

And then, the most wonderful sight came as she saw the shop's door open and Artyr walked in without his helmet. Grime covered his face from the mission and he looked around before talking to the old man. She watched as her padawan conversed with the old man. She blinked and then started laughing.

"Where was this taken?! When was this?!" She asked, frantic. Yoda shrugged in a 'I don't know' gesture. She saw her adopted son alive and by the force she wanted him back right _bloody_ now!

She watched as he had asked directions to the nearest communications center only to find out that they had none. Then, she saw how he had discovered that he was on another world, one which had not even heard of the Jedi or the Republic! Quite likely he was in Wild Space perhaps.

Then, she saw him feel a disturbance in the Force. She saw how he warned the shopkeeper whom stammered as he warned her. Then, she sighed in irritation as she heard him say that the Order would foot the bill. Then, she saw the robbers that came in. She smiled and laughed as he pretended, rather badly, to be a shopkeeper though he was dressed like a Clone Commando. The group of men, she noticed, almost all wore black and had red-tinged cleavers with their leader having a white coat and a bowler hat.

She saw what happened next. A girl ran up right next to Artyr, looking around. She giggled as Artyr slowly turned and lightly swore as the men raised their blasters to fire at her as the apparent chief of the robbers threatened to shoot her. Artyr stood in front of her to protect her, like how he should've done. She watched the fight and then notice the footage change to somewhere outside of the store as if...

"Someone compiled the data from wherever this was taken," She stated, thinking. That meant that someone took security footage from both inside and-

She paused as she saw her adopted son's target,the head robber, fire some kind of explosive round out of his cane/gun and it hit the counter, striking the tubes of crystals behind it and resulted in the entire store exploding. Before that, Artyr had force-pushed the girl into an alley over some cans.

She then saw one of her worst nightmares: She saw him drop the robber from the air and then threaten the man, his voice deepening. Then, he stood up as the small teenage girl ran up to him with stars in her eyes, begging him for an autograph. He was talking to her when he stopped and sensed something. she saw him use the Force to stop something off-camera, then throw his saber. She frowned. He wouldn't do that for just anything.

"He sensed something amiss," She stated.

"Noticed that too, I did." Yoda added as well. They saw him speak with the girl a bit and then the footage revealed what he brought down. It was some kind of gunship only it had no weapons. And it wasn't like anything she saw before... then again, the area around them looked very... primitive.

"I've never seen an area like that before anywhere," she commented. She noticed the girl's weapon beforehand: some kind of weapon that was both a scythe and a gun... how was that possible? Not only that, but she seemed unnaturally strong to wield it so casually. Artyr inspected it and then she heard him say the phrase 'Looks like you have a Sith problem'. At this her heart stopped cold.

"'Sith'," She stated, her face paled.

Yoda frowned.

"Find him, we must. Dangerous, Sith are. Only a padawan, Artyr is." Yoda said, thinking.

"But we don't know where he went!" She said, angrily.

"A world with a shattered moon," Yoda told her. She frowned as he pointed at the images. She looked at them again.

"Notice the images associated with it?"

"The scary-looking black-robed woman and the white-masked animals that were probably cooked up by Sith Alchemy? Yes." She nodded.

"About that woman," Yoda said, bringing out yet something else... how did he fit that holocron into his pocket?! It must've weighed at the very least a quarter to half his weight alone!

He set it down on top of the images.

"Activate," he spoke. it lit up. An image of someone vaguely familiar appeared. He wore the trappings of a Jedi with a brown beard and mustache set as well as long hair that was slicked back down to his neck. He had the imprint of some kind of mask on his face.

"Greetings, I'm Jedi Master Revan, formerly Darth Revan." Revan said, happily.

"This holocron is for edification of future generations of Jedi." He said.

"Bear in mind, if you're younger than a Knight or a Knight yourself, you're going to hear some very bad things."

"Also:" Revan said.

"Yes, I was a Sith Lord, but before that, I was a Jedi Knight but I fell to the Dark Side, then I went back to the Light Side after I was betrayed by my one-time apprentice Malaak, formerly Alaak." Revan said.

"In other words: I used to be bad, now I'm good. Now what do you want. Or as Kicker would strangely say: 'what's your beef'?" Revan asked, with a slight smile. She blinked. She never heard anyone use that phrase before. Not only that, but why did Yoda bring a holocron of Jedi Master Revan the Balanced over to her house... right on her coffee table?

"It means 'What do you want?' Revan explained to a possibly confused audience.

"It's something he used to say to people or to me whenever I came by," He said.

"Kicker is also known as," He irritably sighed at this.

"'Ball-Kicker' as well as Cassius Sym," He said. She blinked. Since when did Jedi be known as 'Ball-kicker'?! The name was self-explanatory.

"He was Bastilla Shan's padawan. She's my wife if you want to know." He explained. She blinked.

"Yes, we're married. Have been for a year or two now. And now, you're going to hear everything I have to say that I recorded. All the good, the bad, and the ugly." Revan explained, casually.

"Again: What's your beef?" He repeated.

"What do you know of the ashen-paled woman with black-red eyes?" Yoda asked in a rare moment when his sentences weren't so completely backward. Revan's image blinked and he sighed, facepalming.

"I thought I never would have to talk about it, much less anyone ask it. But, still: you want to know." Revan explained.

"When I was running around with my party to stop Malaak and take down the Star Forge, we found out that there was an old Rakatan star map on Korriban, the Sith Homeworld." Revan explained.

"So, we went over there and decided that the party would consist of myself, Carth Onasi, and Mission Vao." He explained.

"We couldn't bring Bastilla or Kicker in because they were well-known Jedi, (So was I, but who cares, I'm telling the story). That, and Kicker had a very..." He paused.

"Bad tendency to freak out when there were Sith around. As in: he would turn into a brown, turd-colored ogre and stomp the daylights out of any Sith or Mandalorian he came across. As soon as Ordo had started talking about his Mandalorian past, Kicker nearly beat him to a pulp. And Ordo couldn't beat him, even though he was one of the physically strongest people I knew! He always came out with broken arms, broken nose, and a lot worse!" He counted with his fingers.

"The only people who could calm him down were Mission, Bastilla, Carth, and myself!"

"So, Kicker wasn't happy about not going to 'confront his fears of being on the homeworld of evil'."

"We found out that Carth's son survived the bombing of Telos and that he was a Sith. We had to talk him out of being such Sith. We also redeemed a former Jedi Padawan whom went back to Dantooine. And we did a bunch of other things. We found out that there was a map in the Sith Catacombs and went down there. We faced down a Tarinatek, the same monster from the legends you hear about that could kill many Jedi, and-get this- the ghost of Ajunta Pall himself was down there." He said, honestly.

She blinked.

"The first Sith?!" She asked for clarification as she dipped her head in shock.

"The First Sith," Yoda and Revan confirmed simultaneously.

"It turned out that he regretted what he had done in his life over the years after he died. He told me about what he did during the Hundred Years Darkness and afterwards. I convinced him to go back to the light and he finally found peace." Revan said, happily.

"A good ending for someone whom started an order of notoriously bad apples, in my opinion. Then again, we're all a mixture of good or bad with some becoming completely both. Me? I walked both sides at one point. Trust me on that one," He said.

"Well, after we redeemed Ajunta Pall's ghost, we found someone..." He frowned.

"Odd and in a word: the definition of Dark Side." He said. He then went on a rant.

"She had black fingernails, black sclera with red pupils and her hair looked frigging ridiculous!" He exclaimed.

"Who has their hair arrayed like demon horns with metal and jewels attached?!" He said, pointing to his own hair.

"And the worst part is, she looked at me like she knew me from somewhere..." He then added softly.

"Which we did... before I met my wife," He added. She blinked.

"So, she recognizes me and I sense she's a Dark Sider, a real Sith. She asks me who I am and who my 'friends' are and I tell her the name I was under (Jaden Toa at the time) and she gives me a funny look.

'Do you happen to know a 'Revan'? She asks me, suspiciously. I tell her what I know and then her eyes widen.

Mission and Carth got some bad feelings from her, honestly. She knew it and I knew that she knew." He said, honestly.

"She asked me what I was doing here and I gave her a bullshit answer. I ask her whom she is and she tells me that she's visiting Ajuna Pall's grave. I ask her why and she tells me she knew him, to which I called 'bull'. She then tells me all the alchemical formulae he worked on back in his Sith-founding days and I realize: She's the real deal." He said, remembering as his eyes became glossy. She then asks if we know anyone with the last name 'Sym'." He sighed.

"I lied to her and she asked Mission if she knew, sensing somehow that she knew along with Carth. They lied or tried to." He said, shaking his head.

"I remember that she walked up to me and then spoke to me privately saying that she knew whom I was and what I did." He said, rubbing his eyes.

"She knew that I had turned back to the light (though I didn't know what she meant) and she knew that we were lying to her about Kicker. She told me to tell Kicker that if he wanted to live he had better not seek out 'Salem' or go to some world called 'Remnant' for that matter." He said.

"I remember getting a feeling that she was old... very old. Like, before the founding of the Order of the Jedi." He said, honestly.

"To this day, she makes me shiver." He confessed.

"None of us knew what she meant back then." He said, honestly.

"But, if I had to guess it meant that the woman that we met was most likely familiar with the Sym family. I heard stories, but nothing mentioned her or this 'Remnant' that she spoke of." He said, rubbing his beard.

"But, I did see that as children, just like our own Kicker, and if you know a Sym, then you're seeing it too: you have to know that they tend to get 'migraines' when something strange or is mentioned around them. I theorize that it may be something that they see is connected to what happened in the past or happens in the future." Revan theorized.

"They also draw as children to cope with the nightmares that they get early on and their visions. I saw some of Kicker's child drawings and the resemblance between her and what I saw on the paper was uncanny to say the least." Revan said as Almira looked at the drawings.

"I asked Kicker if he knew about the woman and he only told me that he knew her from his dreams and that she was connected somehow to them. He didn't know why. He begged us for him to go after her, but I denied his request." Revan continued.

"She looked too powerful for him by my reckoning. After we defeated Malaak, he and Mission disappeared about a year later, after Bastilla and I married. I spent a bit along with Carth to look for them and we never found them. Zaalbarr was heartbroken to say the least that his friend was gone. We never knew what became of them... or that woman." He said, sadly.

"What I know about her is that she's connected to the Sith and the Syms somehow. I don't think she's a force-user as I didn' sense it. I did see however that she had two lightsabers with her, so I know that she knows how to use them."

"I'm telling you now, if you know a Sym, make sure he's prepared for anything. And I literally mean anything. If you ever see that woman around, don't attack her on sight, get as many Jedi reinforcements as you can and capture her." Revan ordered.

"I know I'm now dead when I say this as I have my own business to do. But make sure she's captured and you ask her what her 'beef' is with the Sym family." Revan said, almost angrily.

"Bastilla was heartbroken when Kicker went missing," He sighed.

"And we lost what should've been a great Knight." He added.

"He was knighted after we defeaed Malaak. After that, he disappeared along with Mission." He explained.

"No one has seen or heard from them since," He added, woefully.

"If you find out what happened to them: bring them home." He told his audience.

"As a request from a so-called 'hero',' He added.

The image froze.

Yoda then spoke.

"Happened too often, this cycle has." Master Yoda said, sadly.

"Birth, rauma, Knighthood, Disappearance and repeat." Yoda sighed, rubbing his face.

"Almira, Jedi no longer, you are." He admitted to her.

"But, one last mission I have left for you." He added. He produced another holoprojector.

"Artyr Sym and Lira Su, Find both. They are alright, make sure." He finished.

"This to Artyr, Give." He said, handing it to her.

"His eyes only," Yoda instructed.

"Bring them back home, do not." He added finally. She frowned at this.

"Why?" She asked.

" Has been sensed, a great and evil cloud has been sensed, yes?" He asked. She nodded. Everyone felt it. Force powers diminished every day and then some. It was like the start of the end of the world or something.

"Not suffer this, they must. In hiding, better it is." Yoda said, seriously.

"You think something bad's going to happen, don't you?" She said, a knot forming in her stomach.

"Yes," He nodded, sadly. They sat in silence at the prospect of the coming darkness.


	39. Chapter 39: Welcome to Atlas!

Chapter 39

( I heard that 'Battle-axe' refers to a mother-in-law. However, I decided to use the term for Salem as a bit of a joke and kind of as a reference to _Hunt For The Red October_ by Tom Clancy.)

The airship landed on the docking bay with a soft thud. Atlas was cold this time of year, being so far north on Remnant. Artyr wondered if the Mandalorians and the Atlesians here would talk on matters of strategy or war, or on other things... provided they didn't kill each other.

From what he learned: Atlas was originally another kingdom: Mantle. That kingdom no longer existed and Atlas took its place. It also turned out that Vale originally did have a King, but he stepped down at the end of the Great War. Artyr wondered whom this King was. He didn't find that good a reference for him.

He felt the chill of winter's bite again. At least this wasn't Arthuron... or other worlds that he went to that were cold as hell. Then again: he was in a city-sized Kingdom. Then, he remembered that Atlas was also like a nation and had a military presence in a Mystral city to the south. Mystral was the biggest kingdom on this planet.

The mood was still sour as they disembarked from the airship they traveled in. Both of them were clad in their respective armors with Artyr's scarred gray contrasting with Uncle Oz's aquamarine colored armor. He raised a finger to Uncle Oz and then looked at the side of the ship for a name. He paused as he saw the faded stenciled phrase: _Battleaxe._ He paused and tried to hold back laughter. So, in a way, Great-Grandpa Marcus had been thinking of Aunt Salem by naming this ship after her. Guess it was a family past time to make fun of Aunt Salem.

His face fell as did his shoulders. He was going to war against family. That's what his family had been coming here for for thousands of years: to take down their aunt for her crimes. She had killed his cousins, maybe even possibly almost all of his ancestors. Dad obviously didn't die, but still. Not only that, but did her minions know the real story behind what she was doing? What really happened in the past?

Not only that, but he kept thinking: Salem couldn't be killed obviously, cursed with immortality. In all honesty: the Gods of this world were absolute tools! You don't grant someone immortality! Not in this life! That person would come out in any shape or form in the coming millennia: good or bad, murderous or kind, or anything else in between! You just don't do something like that!

He also couldn't help but think about his ancestor Adam. It sounded like he had been alive far longer than any known being in the Galaxy, hutts included. He must've had endured terrible experiences. That and his episode during Uncle Oz's story made him think he was suffering from some kind of PTSD. What else would make a person have flashbacks? In a sense: Adam had been a bit like him. Not only had he been a Jedi, he also was some kind of soldier, using firearms and strange blasters. That, and the Gods had completely and utterly tricked him and by extension his whole family into this!

He couldn't afford to blame him. Adam had wanted to be with his son as he had been away so long. And no one told him what happened until a lot later. Uncle Oz lied to get out of trouble and not have Adam freak out. Salem did it to bamboozle the poor fool. He must've wanted to live a good and peaceful life, but the universe gave him pure hell. First he lost his home, his parents, and everything else. Then, he had to be one of the few people left to go out and prevent what happened to his world not happen at all...or at the least make sure some folks survived. It sounded like Adam must've had some kind of other occupation in his travels... but why did he travel? Hell, how'd he get to Remnant in the first place?

Remnant, Oz and Qrow said, was in another dimension... so that meant that somehow his people found out how to travel across dimensions. Which begged the question: What else had he been doing? And why in the heck didn't he come back after thousands of years?! He felt that when he got back home, he would talk to Mom about her time on the 'family homeworld' like for starters: why hadn't anyone gotten rid of Salem much less leave without so much as saying good-bye to Uncle Oz?! And why did the Gods not give Uncle Oz his old body back, make him immortal so he can deal with his ex-wife's crazy shenanigans! If anything: Aunt Salem was a selfish witch who would make the Dathomiri Nightmothers/sisters look like angels or saints by comparison! The chick got the entire world wiped out the first time for crying out loud! And she was probably going to do it again just to tick off the Gods! Or get revenge on them, but these beings were a lot more powerful than she was.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and instinctively spun to pull out his side-arm only to find Uncle Ozma/pin look at him.

"For the record," Uncle Oz said, his calm voice going both out of his helmet's speakers and in Artyr's internal speakers.

"Yes, he named it after my ex-wife." He said with a small chuckle. Artyr chuckled as well, letting go of his side-arm. They needed it after that very tense revelation that his Aunt found out how to travel dimensions and send Grimm to the Separatists... getting his very first pod killed. He wanted to pay her back for that. She deserved it for killing off Odin! They didn't deserve to die the way they did: warriors or not!

"Now, come on. We've got to get your brother out of trouble... or jail... or worse." Ozma said, woefully as they walked.

A tall woman with a slender form stood in a uniform he had never seen before. Her pony-tail was long and in Artyr's opinion way past regulation as it should've been in a neat bun. She stood alone and she was quite pale. Artyr found it odd that she looked kind of like Weiss. Didn't Weiss have family that was wealthy? She didn't mention military family members, he didn't think. Then again, Weiss was always a bit of an ice queen. However, he also remembered that one vision he had of her talking about her family and how they were targeted by the White Fang as well as a tall man with white hair like hers slapping her.

"I've heard of white armor... but white uniforms?" Artyr said in a private channel.

"Deal with it," Uncle Oz whispered back. The two 'Knights of Remnant' bowed before the woman.

The woman saluted.

"I assume that one of you is Padawan-Commander Artyr Sym of the Grand Army of the Galactic Republic's Special Forces as well as the Jedi Order?" She asked. Artyr looked at her.

"As of about a week ago, I have resigned my commission based on new information... though my nation won't recieve it until long after I'm dead." Artyr said, stepping forward. She looked at him and inspected him.

"Specialist Winter Schnee of the Atlas Military," She introduced herself. Artyr did his best not to head-tilt at her. This was one of Weiss's family?!

She then looked at Uncle Oz.

"And you would be...?"

"This would Jedi Master Ozma," Artyr said. She blinked and scanned Oz, seeing the lightsaber. His nephew looked for anyone else and saw that there wasn't.

"You bugged, Specialist?" He asked.

"No," Winter said, suspiciously as she squinted her eyes at him.

"Don't tell anyone this, but this is-" Artyr started to say.

"Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy," Winter finished for him.

"I may be born of wealthy nobility, but the fact that you said 'Oz' in front of the last two letters of that name and 'Master' obviously was a dead-giveaway." Winter answered, honestly with a smile.

"I must say, you look quite prepared. I heard General Ironwood that you served as part of Republic Special Forces?"

"Republic Commandos, part of the Republic Special Operations Division: Hunter Squad first, then Alpa, Nova, and Paladin squads, as well as fighting on the front-lines in the very armor you see before you. Hence all the scrathes, dents, and I think a bolt-hole or two somewhere." Artyr said.

"You fought in battles?"

"Almost every clime and place, Specialist." Artyr said, nodding. She made a 'hmm', intrigued.

"I believe you'll be escorting us to the last known location of the suspect from last night?" Uncle Oz said, interrupting the conversation. She nodded after standing up straight.

"Of course, sir." Winter said.

They walked to the elevator as they spoke.

"I saw no other military escort when we landed," Uncle Oz said to her.

"General Ironwood felt that discretion was needed," Schnee said.

"If I may ask, how much experience do you have in combat?"

"Lightsaber-wise, I've used it since I was about ten. Blaster-wise? Three years. I've also commanded units ranging from battalions to also regiments as well." Artyr said. Winter and Uncle Oz looked at him with a blank expression.

"Regiments," They both said, simultaneously. He looked back at him.

"My rank in the order was 'Padawan'... that made me a 'Commander' in the Grand Army." He told them.

"Ah," Uncle Oz said as they walked into the elevator.

"Sounds a bit... terrible, though, don't you think? Apprentices in your Order being given command of units?" Specialist Schnee said, hands behind her back as she stood in between the two men.

"We've learned to deal with it," Artyr answered flatly. He thought of the padawans and knights he knew from before the war and contrasted it with how many died since the war began. The differences were glaring. So few were left. Ahsoka and Kaleb were still around, yeah. Barris, too. Not many he knew left from the 'old days' I hope you learned from your mistakes," Schnee told him. Artyr glared at her from under his helmet.

"I have a whole back full of them," He muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Artyr?" Uncle Oz asked.

"Nothing," Artyr lied.

"Do we know anything about the suspect?" Oz asked. Artyr wanted to correct him, but decided against it.

"So far, he wounded two police officers, has been destroying Atlesian military property, and has been hiding out in a poorer section of the city."She answered.

"We know that he's some kind of foreigner,"

"Mandalorian if I'm hearing things right," Artyr told her. She looked at him.

"Are you aware of the Mandalorian race?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Mandalorians, a long time ago in Galactic history, were one of the most war-like races in the galaxy. They conquered whole regions of the galaxy before the Jedi Civil War. Their entire culture was one based around the ideas of war and honor." Artyr explained.

"Billions were killed during the Mandalorian Wars." Artyr explained.

"At first, the Jedi refused until a Jedi Master named 'Revan' led a counter-attack against the Mandalorians. The Order then started seeing a bit of a schism after that. The Wars lasted a while and worlds got bombarded with a ton of casualties. It wasn't until the Council finally let Jedi freely join in the fight that the Republic won the war. That, and Revan killed the Mandalorian leader, the Mandalore, and took his mask to mock the defeated as salt in their wounds." Artyr explained.

"After a long time, and a lot more wars, the Mandalorians started to turn upon each other as well. Remember: war's in their nature. And if they have no external enemy, then they go after internal enemies. They're clan-based so they do things on a sort of primitive level. But, they also have a sense of honor that I find at time disturbing and respectable."

She listened as he spoke.

"I've never heard of any of this," She said, a bit skeptical.

"That's because it's-" Artyr started to say.

"foreign history, yes." Schnee told him.

"Why didn't your old Order get involved?" She asked.

"Because they felt that it wasn't their problem. 'We're peace-keepers not soldiers' in the words of Jedi Master Windu." Artyr told her.

"We're all soldiers now," He sighed.

There was silence.

"Out of curiosity: are you Weiss Schnee's relative, by any chance?" Artyr asked.

"As a matter of fact: my father is the head of the Schnee Dust Company and my sister attends Beacon." Winter said, happily at the latter statement.

"She writes often of her classmates. She calls you 'that freak with the laser-sword and the mind powers'." She said. He felt a disturbance in the Force as he saw that Uncle Oz's hands curled into fists. Winter blinked as she realized what was just said. She had just said her sister called Artyr a very unkind name. And Uncle Oz was right next to her.

"I should have you know, Specialist." Uncle Oz said, looking at her with a firm tone. She looked at him with a very scared expression.

"Artyr Sym is my nephew by adoption as his great-grandfather adopted me as a son and later had a son that I believe neither of us knew about. I would appreciate if you kept any ill comments about my family, adopted or biological, to yourself." He told her in a firm manner. Winter blinked and nodded, blushing.

"Of course, Headmaster." She said, nodding as she gulped

"And need I remind you about the service that my other nephew, Aogust, did for you, your siblings and your mother?" Uncle Oz asked. Artyr looked between him and the specialist. There was dead silence as he wondered just what Dad did in the past. Winter sighed.

"I haven't forgotten. _None_ of us has forgotten," She said, nodding. Artyr looked at Uncle Oz. Uncle Oz looked back at him.

"Eighteen years ago, Jacques Schnee, her and Weiss's father, sent thugs to steal Aogust's lightsabers. Aogust dealt with them in the family tradition," Uncle Oz said, sadly, in a private channel. Artyr looked at him as images of his father killing them came to mind.

"Yes, he dealt with them in the most brutal fashion after they had threatened your mother." He told him. Artyr looked at him in shock. Thugs threatened Mom?! In that case, to hell with them! You don't just go up and threatening people's family, _everyone_ with a right mind knew that!

"After that, he came to Atlas and found out that Jacque Schnee was taking out his frustrations on his family... after meeting the Schnee matriarch in a very bad state." His uncle continued.

"He literally beat Jacques Schnee to within an inch of his life. Jacque is still mostly the same, but he never really recovered psychologically. He had to get dentures, some plastic surgery for his nose and face, and to this day, he tries to hide the fact that he has a limp." Uncle Oz said with a very solemn note.

"And this guy's supposed to be the richest man in the Kingdom?" Artyr asked for clarification. He had never beat up rich people before for their sins. There were times he disarmed or even amputated thugs for wealthy elite folks with criminal ideas, but that was it. They usually either walked or went to jail. Though, strangely, the guys that walked either disappeared or were found torn to pieces... weird.

 _"On the planet,"_ Uncle Oz clarified.

Artyr whistled.

"If I may ask: what are you two doing?" Winter asked. They looked at her.

"Nothing," They responded. She made a 'hmm' sound and then the elevator doors opened.

After hitching a military transport to the area, they arrived at the cordoned off-sector. Roadblocks had been established. He saw tanks and droids walking around on patrol. He resisted the urge to kill them as he saw that they were droids and not organics. General Ironwood, in the flesh, met them at a roadblock. The area looked kind of like the projects or in some sense, the underlevels of Coruscant.

The two Knights of Remnant stood aloof in the middle of so many soldiers and police officers that looked at them with suspicion.

'Foreigners' they were called.

'Mercenaries' others hissed.

Uncle Oz had a stance of confidence as he walked alongside his more warrior-like nephew as he wielded his blaster to the General. There were snipers on the roof-tops overlooking the area for any sign of Toph. What struck the ex-Jedi as insanely stupid was how General Ironwood was standing in the middle of the street... behind a roadblock with nothing so much as a helmet or body armor to wear in case he ever got shot.

"Oz, good to see you." The General said, shaking his friend's hand.

"As always, James." Uncle Oz said. The military officer then looked at the ex-Jedi.

"So, Commander Sym, I take it?" Ironwood said. His first impression of Artyr was that the guy had confidence, he was well-groomed, but also serious and a bit formal. Sensing him with the Force revealed a bit of an arrogant streak and... some kind of pain inside. He didn't know. That, and his right arm moved funny to his eyes. It was like a regular arm, no doubt... but something about it was off. Sometimes a thumb or a finger twitched as he spoke.

"That would be me, sir." Artyr said, nodding.

"Armor's not looking good. You should get it fixed. That, and why isn't it polished?" Ironwood asked, inspecting him. Artyr found himself getting roasted by a friend of his uncle.

"And that gun? Has it been cleaned? When's the last time you cleaned any of this?!" He asked, looking at Artyr's blaster. The teenager blinked as he heard Ozpin/ma chuckle as he pretended to cough.

"I cleaned my weapons every week, sir." Artyr said, embarrassed.

"And the armor?" Ironwood asked.

"All due respect, I..." he paused.

"I never learned how to fix my armor. We always had someone else like a technician do it." Artyr confessed as soldiers started chuckling and Winter kept suppressing a smirk.

"Your armor has holes and scratches and at the very least the scratches are partially filled on your helmet, but they're still there!" He asked.

"If you were one of my men, I'd have you cleaning the latrines with a toothbrush for the next month and peeling potatoes in the mess hall every night for the next four months for not taking care of your armor!" General Ironwood said, angrily. His tone was quiet and you couldn't hear it from about fifty feet. Still, others saw and laughed.

Artyr wanted to rub the back of his head, but didn't.

"Look at his armor: it's pristine and immaculate. Yours isn't!" Ironwood said, pointing at Uncle Oz.

"Though, the cape is a bit much (No offense, Oz.)" Ironwood added. Oz's head dipped as if in dead-pan.

"And that insignia... was that personal or a unit's?" He asked, seeing the old scratched painting of Hunter squad. Artyr looked up at him. He wanted to tell him the truth.

"My first unit, sir. My first _pod_." He stated.

"'Pod'?" He asked.

"Kaminoan term for a closely-knit unit, sir." Artyr explained. Ozma looked at him. He could feel Uncle Oz's sad expression.

"I lost them more than halfway through the first year of the war, sir. Sergeant Odin of that squad gave me this armor because I requested it on my first mission. I've worn it to remind myself of them since then,sir. This gear that you see on me is all I have left of them, sir." Artyr told him. Ironwood looked at him with a slightly softer expression.

"And that's why you never got so much as a replacement suit of armor, son?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." He told him.

"It's all I have left of my brothers," He added with a sad note, remembering them all: Odin, Loki, Thor, Baldur, Blake, King, Byte, everyone that died for and alongside him.

"In that case, I'll let your neglect of your armor slide." Ironwood started to say.

"But, you better polish the hell out of it, because I don't want to see so much as a fade of the paint, understand? You look like a merc." The general scolded him. Artyr nodded.

"Now, to the matter at hand:" Ironwood began.

"The suspect went into this area of the city from the CCTV footage that we have."

"CCTV?" Artyr asked.

"Closed-Circuit Television," Ironwood said before continuing.

"We lost sight of him afterwards," He finished.

"And quite frankly, we've been having problems with this area for some time so I would assume this is wy." Ironwood said.

Artyr peered around the general to see why.

"Oh," He said. The buildings were run-down, some looked like they were due for demolition and a whole host of other things that looked sketchy. Artyr looked back at him.

"He went into the ghetto section of the city?" He asked, using a term he heard Yi, Rebecca, and others in the school say.

"Yes, he did." Ironwood said, nodding.

"Well, poodoo." Artyr commented, mindful of Schnee.

"What can we expect?"

"White Fang insurgents that are popping up everywhere, gangsters, that sort of thing. They number in the thousands here. It's funny as the Council's been having petitions to renovate this area or at the very least expand or maybe even move the faunus population over to Menagerie." Ironwood said.

He heard of the White Fang, some kind of faunus extremist group that used to be a faunus civil rights movement. He did a bit of research on them. Wasn't there a Ghira Belladonna that led it? And- His head shot up at the last name as he remembered. Blake's last name was Belladonna... but she didn't look like a faunus... but the way she moved, the way her eyes were, and the occasion he swore he saw her bow shift sometimes... shoot. No wonder she hid her identity in plain sight.

"Menagerie?" Artyr asked, confused. They had yet to talk about it in school.

"Menagerie island, a lot smaller than a continent and where most of the Faunus live. All four kingdoms moved a chunk of the faunus population over there. Those that resisted were involved in the Uprising." Uncle Oz said.

"And there's been bad blood ever since," He added, solemnly.

"Damn faunus!" Someone muttered. Artyr's head shot up as Ironwood looked around for the culprit. In response, the culprit had apparently hid.

"We can't move all of our troops in to find him as that would cause a bit of an unnecessary rift in global politics. It would be a massacre. In fact, the Council has given me about forty-eight hours to find the suspect and bring him to justice _by any means necessary_." Ironwood emphasized the last four words. Artyr looked at him.

Ironwood stepped forward close to the two Knights after gesturing for Winter to go away. They went to someplace private to talk. The General instructed two Atlesian Paladins to stand guard and keep watch over them.

"I know damn well who he is to you too and Glynda, Gods bless her." He whispered to them.

"But, in all honesty, we know what he is: And I'd rather not explain to countless widows, widowers and orphans why their parents, sons, and anyone else died trying to bring in a half-alien-half-human warrior for literally busting knee-caps in two cops that can also turn into a brown giant that can rip tanks in half and take enough hits to wipe out an entire kingdom." Ironwood said, looking at both of them. The ex-Jedi imagined the rampage Toph could wreak. He hadn't been raised like him... hell... how did the Mandalorians even accept him? Weren't his family supposed to be horror stories to the Sith much less the Mando'a? Must've been some group. That, and he had to guess it was some clan that wasn't aligned with either Death Watch or someone else, not the New Mandalorians under Satine Kryze's banner.

"Both of you get in there, and get that kid out of town. I'm sure you can use your airship as an extraction?"

"Happened before," Uncle Oz said, shrugging. Ironwood gave him an eyebrow.

"I'll tell you the details later," He half-whispered to Artyr and Ironwood.

"You said White Fang insurgents... what are they like?"

"Before Ghira Belladonna stepped down, they were nothing more than protesters and activists. When Sienna Khan took over, they became more like an insurgent group, guerilla warfare in some places and bombings have been accredited to them."

"Just like those Haruun Kal insurgents on those few missions," Artyr commented, remembering several missions he did with Alpha Squad. Omega had done a similar mission that year with another group.

"That, and the White Fang's got a hefty price on its head by Winter's family because they killed some of their relatives and friends as well as business partners." Ironwood said the last part sadly.

"Rumor has it that the White Fang's got people on the inside. Somehow our tech or weapons get stolen and the White Fang use them against us. Along with some bandit groups like over in Mystral down south or elsewhere." He added, jerking his thumb back when he mentioned Mystral.

"We're looking into the moles,"

"We have our own moles," Ozma told his friend. Ironwood looked at him in shock.

"What?" He said, horrified.

"We'll talk during the Vytal Festival about it... six months from now." Ozma told him.

"But, bear in mind and keep this promise to me: Don't send any of your men to Vale around that time. I am telling you now: Don't." Ozma warned. Ironwood frowned.

"Why?"

"Meet us in Vale that year for the Festival. And I _better_ not see so much as a _Paladin_ coming out of your students' ships, James. Let's just say your men will only bring a lot of unintended problems and leave it at that." Uncle Oz told him. Ironwood looked at him.

"You don't trust me,"

"Sir, I've been having visions like my family before me. I'm telling you now: listen to Uncle Oz." Artyr told him.

"We'll tell you more then,"

"No, you're going to tell me a lot sooner than that," Ironwood demanded.

"You want to know?" Artyr asked, angrily. His respectful tone was gone.

"Fine," He said, stepping forward up to Ironwood's face.

"Beacon Academy's going to become a bloodbath during the Vytal Festival. A hostile cell of infiltrators or something else are going to come in. I don't know how they do it, but they end up killing a lot of people and the worst part is: I saw my friends either die or get their arms chopped off by a guy with a Grimm mask or that bitch in the red-dress." He spat 'bitch' like phlegm."

"And a shit ton of Grimm pour in, you understand? Like enough to take on an entire city. You ever see that many Grimm running around a school like that? Ever?" He said both rhetorically and angrily. Ironwood stood shocked. Ozma put a hand on Artyr.

"Calm down, Art." He warned. Art took a deep breath as Ironwood stood, staggered by the revelation.

"But, my men would pr-" Artyr cut him off.

"I saw your men in my vision: they were killing Vale citizens. Slaughtering them like animals." Artyr spat. Ironwood looked at Artyr with a pale face.

"That's ..." He paused.

"Impossible, unless..." He said, thinking. He then closed his eyes and then his hands curled into fists.

"Watts," He spat.

"I should've known he was up to something like this! After what happened all those years ago, he comes back like a rat." He muttered, angrily, banging his fist against the APC, making it rock slightly.

"'Watts'? Who's 'Watts'?" Artyr asked, confused.

"Doctor Arthur Watts, Ph.D and a Doctor." Uncle Oz explained.

"He was one of the best inventors Atlas had until a scandal some years ago. The bastard was always too damned smug for his own good." James Ironwood said, shaking his head.

"Must've been using his tech to help _her," U_ ncle Oz thought aloud.

"Oz, I wanted in on this. And I still am." Ironwood said.

"Here's the deal: you get your council to have your troops patrol the School grounds and the Vytal Coliseum and I'll ask my Council if we can get them to send a partial force in to defend it. That, and we'll ask Leo and the headmaster over at Shade Academy if they can help." Ironwood offered.

"Wouldn't count on Lionheart," Artyr said, flatly. Ironwood looked between the two Knights as Ozma nodded.

"You can't be serious," He said aloud. They nodded in response. The clouds darkened over them as a portent and a white dropping from above landed on the APC next to them.

"Fuck!" He roared, banging the APC again, making a dent and it rocked harder.

"We've-"

"We can't- we'll just cause a panic and the Grimm will kill a lot more people because of said-panic." Artyr said aloud.

"I really hate to hear 'cause a panic' right now," Ironwood muttered.

"You think you're mad, sir? I found out that Salem's been supplying Grimm to the Separatists off-world. And guess what unit her Grimm killed?" Artyr said with venon dripping through his speakers. Ironwood looked at him with a sad expression as he noticed how angry he sounded.

"I guess we both lost men because of her, huh?" Ironwood said aloud. Artyr tilted his head.

"'I'll tell you over a bottle of Corellian ale,' I believe you said? I heard about it from Aogust, but I never had the pleasure." The Atlesian General said, honestly.

"And we better hope and pray to the Gods that she doesn't have her Separatist buddies come in, or we all die." Artyr said, both angry and worried. There was silence for about a minute as they all thought. Ironwood sighed and regained his composure.

"Nevertheless, you both have a mission to complete. And I won't stop you. In fact, I'm going to help you." The General told them.

"I'm pulling my men out of this section of the city, seeing as how no one wants to be here anyway except for you two. Bear in mind, I'm having Winter on this. She's a good specialist and has done her fair share of work for the Group." Ironwood said.

"You guys need a new name. Ever considered 'Order of the Masters?" Artyr said.

"Nah, we once tried that idea. Didn't work out so well as one pawn told us in his exact words 'Masters of what- Turtling up? Pooing yourselves?'" The immortal Ozma said, dismissively.

"Have there been any deaths so far?" Oz also asked. Ironwood sighed. The nephew and Uncle looked at eachother, their helmets' hiding their 'oh crap' look.

"Sir, he's my brother. What'd he do?" Artyr worringly asked, stepping forward. Ironwood sighed.

"We had a lot of 9-1-1 calls last night. A lot of them. Apparently, he's been running around taking shots locals. Looks like he really didn't like what people thought of him." Ironwood said with a very sad tone. Artyr's blaster dropped.

"Oh my Force," He whispered.

"How many?" He asked.

"We found weapons on the bodies-"

 _"How many?"_ Artyr repeated.

"About twelve," Ironwood said, honestly.

"Twelve people that were out in the streets that nights. Gangbangers and drug-dealers no more." Ironwood said the last bit reassuringly. Artyr rubbed his helmet as he swore in every language he knew. Ozma shook his head.

"Glynda's going to die of a heart attack when she hears this," The soul-hopping one-time hero said woefully.

 _"Damn it,"_ He whispered, shaking his head. He then started walking towards the ghetto section of the city without another word to either of them. He had to get his younger long-lost brother out of this hell-hole before he went to _actual_ hell. Ozma, after a quick apology and a stern warning, went after his nephew. Winter Schnee came after them, strangely about two minutes later. They walked in silence with Ozma looking worriedly at his nephew.


	40. Chapter 40: My Brother's Keeper I

Chapter 40

Toph Reo of Clan Bren rolled to the side as local gangsters tried to kill him. Tried to. For some odd reason, they either tried to use strange-looking blasters that fired incendiary or electric rounds, or even rounds that could freeze a man. Others tried to attack him directly. Of course, they didn't have that great CQC skills like he did. He'd been trained for war since he was five years old. Everything from strategy and tactics to demolitions to marksmanship, everything a Mando'a needed to know and not those pansies back on the homeworld.

The Mandalorian fired off a salvo from his pistols, hitting two of the horned bastards in the center of their chests, the rounds going straight through like hot knives through butter. Then, he focused fire on more that came after him, killing them in a hail of bolts. These people were freaks in a sense: humans with horns, wings, hooves like horses or goats, bat or angel wings, tails, and the ears! Who has wolf or cat-ears?! What were they the products of genetic experiments or something?!

Everyone wanted a piece of him, the local military, the law enforcement, the gangsters, the local militias... and even one or two punks! _Everyone wanted him dead! Everyone!_

He could feel a rising anger burning inside of him at the sheer numbers that were going against him. He looked around the street of this desolate part of the city. It was run-down obviously. Must've been a nice place to live before some corrupt official took over. Either that, or someone introduced drugs. Or a combination of the two. Whichever and whatever.

Bodies littered the street either groaning or not, numbering about fifteen or sixteen. One of them crawled somewhere to die.

He sighed as he went into an alleyway and picked a place to hide and took off his helmet. The grime from the sweat of the mission about a day or two before and the situation now was showing. His eyes had heavy bags and were bloodshot red from being on the move for around twelve hours straight and being up for who knows how long! A lot worse than his first mission at twelve after that incident. It had been to help clear out some kind of pirate enclave that some neutrals somewhat like themselves were harassed by out in the Outer Rim.

A bunch of Mando'a died that day. Strangely, he survived despite being hit so many times. Everyone wondered why. He sighed. Things couldn't get any worse than this!

He felt a sudden chill like something probing his mind, searching for him. He grunted as he clutched his head.

 _'Toph,'_ He bolted upright as soon as he heard his name. He aimed his blasters around him.

"Who's there?!" He shouted.

"Who's there?! Show yourself?!" He shouted. He scanned the area. No movement other than the wind. He sighed. Maybe it was the stress? Yeah, that was it. Stress. He sighed, putting his helmet back on. He had to find a way getting back into the planet. But, he couldn't help but get the feeling that something was looking for him. He didn't know what. If he didn't know any better, and he never met one personally but he did hear stories: a Jedi was looking for him. And wherever Jedi went, hell sure followed. His kind had faced Jedi before, long ago.

There would've been considered a sort of bridge between the race of warriors and the peace-keepers in the form of the first Mandalorian Jedi to exist: Pre Vizla. His darksaber had been stolen from the Jedi Temple during the Fall of the Old Republic three hundred years ago and had been used to kill Jedi ever since. Tre Vizla, a distant cousin of this Jedi used it to claim the world of Mandalore for himself. But, in all honesty, that guy was a prick.

Who the hell bombs civilian marketplaces for one? That and there were rumors that Vizla was cozying up with scum like this one guy he heard about, scary as hell: a Dathomiri Nightbrother or two of them if the stories were true. That, and the Separatists. Way to bring the War to Mandalore, old boy. Hope you like seeing droid armies march through Mandalorian streets with your people living off of either rations or something else as your women are enslaved for alien overlords and your children and sons are warriors or worse.

Toph gritted his teeth. He wanted a piece of that prick for a personal reason. Twenty years ago: Clan Bren had been a part of House Vizla as its vassal. The clan had been called upon to fight as per honor and tradition alongside its House as Bren's founder had been a brother to the founder of House Vizla if tradition, memory and record served. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

The New Mandalorians were absolute _di'kuts_. They had no respect for tradition and the ways in which they were raised. They wanted to leave peaceful lives that had no military presence and be neutral, try to be like other nations and races. But Mandalorians weren't like that. There was tradition and war, but there was also the matter of honor.

The old-timers talked about the Civil War all the time and spoke with disgust as they recalled the House Leader telling the Clans under him about the victory of the enemy. Then, he told them to be a part of a new group: Deathwatch. What kind of a name was that?!

Bren, initially, was onboard... right until they found out that Vizla wanted support from undesirables in Mandalorian views like criminals and otherwise. That, and the bombings... Toph never saw one as he had been raised off of Mandalore, but his parents talked about the bombings and assassinations. It didn't sit right with the elders of Clan Bren. So, rather than leave like thieves in the night: they told House Vizla to kriff off and that they were leaving House Vizla's service as House Vizla had betrayed their honor. No Mandalorian should kill another Mandalorian without due cause. And Vizla, while having cause: (the New Mandalorians) wanted to do so without honor, the absolute prick!

And to boot: he seduced Satine Kryze's own sister into his bed! So, not only was he a dishonorable _di'kut_ , he was a dishonorable, sleazy, whoremongering _di'kut_! Satine herself didn't look bad herself though, one can admit. But, honorbound: she belonged to no man as she chose not to marry or hadn't found the right person.

He got up, deciding it was long past time to leave and started walking farther into the hellhole that was this ghetto. He was starting to reconsider his actions more and more. Perhaps injuring those two officers wasn't the best of ideas. And perhaps he shouldn't have killed those punks that kept giving him bad glances in his direction like he was some kind of freak. In all honesty though, they did brandish their guns at him. In his opinion: it was better to shoot first and ask questions later. Though, that kind of philosophy was a bit frowned upon at times in proper Mandalorian society.

he heard more of those freaks coming. He might as well go oscar-mike, a very ancient term for 'on the move'. He launched himself to wherever the hell wasn't here.

XXX

For him, things weren't going well. The fugitive from the wealthier part of Atlas had just come in by jetpack, if reports were to be believed. First, it had been the fact that his cousin had started making deals with some cabal or something... he didn't say much, but a few of the guys that he sent over to Adam's group to watch over him and make sure he kept out of trouble weren't filling him with confidence. The group was made up of humans... and one faunus, some kind of psychotic scorpion faunus, if heard right.

They wanted the White Fang's help in taking down Beacon Academy. So, his younger cousin, whom by the way, had a relationship with the founder of their organization's daughter (without getting both pairs of horns and nuts ripped off by said founder's bare hands), had made a deal with a proverbial and possible devil.

Then, he started hearing rumors that White Fang members were helping criminals out in Vale robbing dust stores and violently breaking up protests by more pacifistic members of their race. He sighed. His Dad and his cousin's father were brothers and they were both long-dead thanks to a massacre a while back. He had tried to look out for him as best as he could when they both joined up with the Fang. Of course, his ambitions were rising. He spoke often about being Leader of the White Fang. To which, he wanted no part. Ambition tended to cause a lot more suffering than wanted or needed.

Of course, there was another pain alongside the fugitive: the man named 'Oros'. No one knew where he came from or why, but he did. And where he went, hell followed. Those whom survived his encounters usually lived as warnings to what happened when you didn't do what he liked, namely things he frowned upon like selling drugs to kids or places like here. He also started sending local punks and gangsters out of their lifestyle... in hospital gurneys. Seemed like he was an alright guy but his methods were completely and utterly batshit crazy!

Of course, with the new guy, everyone was putting a price tag on him. _Everyone._ Freaking ridiculous. His scroll buzzed in his pocket and he took it out, putting it to his ear as he walked with the small group tha he

"This is Taurus, Go ahead." He said, seeing that it was a lieutenant Davers.

"Sir, the Atlas troops are pulling back from the cordon. Looks like they're leaving." Davers reported.

"Thank the Gods," He laughed.

"But, they sent a small group of people in instead, sir. I'm sending you a few pictures now. Did the best I could." The lieutenant responded. He saw the images. He frowned. The image was taken from the top of a building. The close-up following images showed what looked like an Atlas military officer and two men, both about six feet maybe. One wore aquamarine armor with a cape of all things, the other guy looked like some hardened warrior. They didn't look like Atlas's usual soldiers, maybe specialists? The guy in gray scarred armor had some kind of gun and something dangling from his hip like the other- He looked closely and recognized it. His face paled. He'd seen those kinds of hilts before, a long time ago.

If these guys were related to the notorious Aogust Sym, then he was going to have to see what they wanted. Because you don't send in people with the strange huntsman's unique swords unless they wanted something. And he had a very sneaking suspicion that the guy outright killing punk-ass kids that so much as looked at him badly was related to them somehow.

That, and the armor of the two men was strangely similar to the fugitive. Too damned similar.

He looked at the gathered men around him, a party of fathers, sons, brothers, and cousins that sought to keep the peace in the neighborhood and deal a blow to their human oppressors. Men whom only wanted the best for their families.

"What are your orders, sir?" A lizard faunus asked, wearing the black hood and Grimm mask of the White Fang with the jacket. He looked about eighteen and eager to spill blood. His brother, he had found out about six hours ago, got shot as he was one of the kids that got shot for dissing the stranger. He had died with a bolt hole to the face for his transgression.

"I want you everyone on this: both Gangsters or brothers of the White Fang, to scour the projects for the murderer. As of now: all of us are in this together for justice for our brothers and sisters killed today." He said aloud for others to hear. They stood close to hear him speak.

"I want him alive and unharmed and brought to my position as soon as you can." He ordered. He was bulkier than his cousin, having worked out a lot, but still had the same red hair and horns like a bull. His complexion was that of someone in his mid-thirties. He saw the emotions that flooded his follower's faces as they looked at him and the uneasy glances.

"I have my reasons for this. I know you all want a piece of him and I do too, but right now: we have to take him alive as a bargaining chip for our oppressors as a show of good faith." It pained him to lie. He hated lying clear and simple. It was deceptive, though it could get one out of trouble, but still it was terrible. It was a sin to be exact, if his religious grandparents told him right. One that he would happily atone for.

"Besides, he came from their side. Do you want Atlas troops coming in here as well like the cops?" He asked rhetorically. There were shakes of the head and mutters of 'no' or 'no, sir'. He was satisfied with this.

"And someone find Oros! See if he's helping out in all this." He ordered as well.

"What about you, sir?" A female goat faunus asked, her horns curling over her head.

"I'm going in alone as a gesture of peace to the humans. They're on our turf, and the last thing we need is their squad getting killed unless someone wants a repeat of today." Taurus said.

"Only a lot worse," He added. He looked around.

"Hop to it!" he barked.

"Yes, sir!" They said, all scattering to do their duty. He then started running alone to meet the human ad-hoc squad that was going in. Time was of the essence.

XXX

The three moved up the street, going from cover to cover. To Winter, it was ridiculous. They could hear the sounds of gun-fire and some kind of gunfire she had never heard of before was heard the distance. Bullet holes and some kind of burnt damage that looked like it came from some kind of gun.

"I hate going at this pace," Winter yelled at Artyr as he hid behind a dumpster after moving up.

"It's how we did things in the GAR, Specialist. You don't just go waltzing down the street like in the holofilms." He told her.

"What about your aura?" The Specialist asked, before moving up to a street corner and peering around. Ozpin went up next to her.

"Artyr's people are naturally immune to pretty much every weapon and disease you can think of. They have no auras. By blood, they're usually (in my family's case) capable of using telepathy and telekinesis." Oz told her matter-of-fact.

"You're kidding!" She said aloud.

"Nope," Ozpin shook his head.

"Can it, both of you! (Sorry Uncle Oz)." Artyr said to both of them. He went up to the street corner.

"Commander, do you have any idea where the-" She started to say 'fugitive' then spoke correctly. "Mandalorian is?"

"Somewhere down further," he said on the COM channel. On the street, there were dead faunus with guns on them. He looked at them with sorrow. He had made sure to close their eyes. They deserved that much. They ranged from kids as young as twelve to late teens and early twenties. Toph did a number on them.

All this over him relying on his Mandalorian ways and not 'common' human decency. His head shifted in thought. Or was it common decency? Darn it, Remnant expressions were like galactic expressions just only on Remnant... for frick's sake!

"Toph, when I get my hands on you, you're going to wish Mom beat your ass with her baton!" He muttered, angrily.

"Commander... I wouldn't say a thing like that on a team channel." Winter reminded him. He dead-panned. He said something private on a team channel. Force dammit!

"So, how's Toph feeling?" Ozma asked, worried.

"I sensed him as I scanned for him: He's alone, somewhat angry and confused as to what's going on. That, and he's trying to find a way to get back to his clan." Artyr told them.

"So this individual's name is 'Toph'... what's his clan name?" The specialist asked.

"I have no idea, actually." Artyr said, noting that Winter had asked without a hint of suspicion.

"But, he's definitely not with the New Mandalorians, the ones that won the Civil War about more than ten years back. They're the more peaceful and mellow ones. The old ones all either died out on Mandalore's moon or joined up under Death Watch. They've been bombing marketplaces recently." Artyr explained.

"Great: Mandalorian versions of the White Fang. Just what everyone needs." Winter muttered, angrily.

"Multiply that by about thousands of races and you're going to have a lot more than that." He told her. She gave him a look of incredulity as he moved up to the opposite street corner.

"You have to be kidding me,"

"No, he's not. Believe me: I've heard countless stories from my family on the matter. You wouldn't believe what the Mandalorians did to their own homeworld," Uncle Oz told her as he glanced down one end.

"You think a continent's cold? Try the surface of a whole planet. Or a dozen" Artyr told Winter as he glanced down the other. He saw something coming from up the street. He sensed a purpose-driven individual, someone of conviction as well as someone with common sense.

"Hey, someone's coming from up the street." Artyr brought out his monoculars.

"Wow... he's really far down." He commented. It would take a bit for him to get here.

"Can you sense anyone else around? Anyone? I'm really sick and tired of seeing dead corpses like on a battlefield." Winter said aloud with a tone of worry and fear around her.

"Well, I'm sensing a very strong presence of fear all around us. So, people are here, it's just that they're hiding from the violence." Artyr added.

"Obviously and makes sense," His body-hopping uncle said, nodding.

"Though, I do detect a very strong presence of something else..." Artyr said aloud, thinking. It felt strange. He felt it as soon as he entered the ghetto. It was old... yet somewhat familiar like connected to something he knew. It was also old... very old. Aggressive, rage-filled on the inside, war-like, but also one of honor and a bit of decency and strange-enough: depressed. What could possibly be this thing? It wasn't Uncle Oz or Winter. It was something else. He didn't know exactly where this presence was from.

"What?" Ozpin asked, curious.

"Nothing," Artyr said. He then promptly raised the monoculars back to his visor and saw that he wore a strange mask like a Grimm. He had red hair and was bulky with some kind of uniform with the black hood down. His horns were like that of a bull's. His red hair was cut short and he had some kind of sword sheathed by his hip. It looked familiar. Artyr grunted in pain as soon as he thought of it.

 _He saw the red-haired bull faunus cut off Yang's arm as soon as she leapt at him to save Blake as she tried to protect a blonde monkey faunus that was dressed funny. The school burned all around them as Blake tried to defend her friends. She called the faunus that attacked her 'Adam'... his ancestor's name. He saw him kill what he thought was Blake after being distracted, only for it to be some kind of shadow clone or something. She carried Yang out as he came after her... right after he nonchalantly killed a Grimm._

 _He saw other events involving him: making a deal with the girl in the red dress with two people kneeling behind her on opposite sides: a mocha-colored human with green hair and a gray-haired kid that wore dark or gray colors. The mocha-colored girl wore a green top that exposed her mid-riff and short shorts. She wielded what could possibly be shot-guns with scythes at the end for striking._

 _The same man then also walked up to what appeared to be the leader of the White Fang as the banners behind her throne were that of the symbol of the group. He saw with anger as the faunus betrayed his leader while a massive bulky man watched with sorrow while a smaller and more refined man watched with glee._

 _White Fang soldiers turned their weapons on their leader and as she realized what was happening, the bull faunus impaled her on his sword, ending her life as he spoke. He became the new leader. He saw him lead his army on another school to destroy it only to be met by a number of faunus opposed to him... led of all things by Blake, a bigger-looking faunus that was probably her father and her mother. She saw the fight afterwards._

He looked up as soon as the vision ended.

"It can't be him!" Artyr said, putting the monocular back up. He looked closely and was relieved to see that the man that he saw running down the street as fast as he could wasn't the same. He was bulkier for one and more rugged. That and he sensed nothing bad about him... that he could tell so far.

"What do you see?" Uncle Oz and Winter asked simultaneously. He handed them the goggles.

"He's White Fang!" Winter shouted as soon as she saw him. She threw the monocular down and raised her side-arm. Artyr stood up and put a hand on her arm.

"Specialist, put that down. He's alone. I don't sense anyone else. That and he's not coming with back-up." He told her.

"He's an insurgent! A violent terrorist! I lost family and friends to these bastards!" The scion of nobility barked at him.

"Did you notice anyone shooting at us?" The ex-Jedi asked her. She looked at him and thought.

"By this time in a lot of missions that I've had in battles or places like this: the enemy would show up by now. This isn't an ambush or a trick." He told her, shaking his head.

"I think he's got something to say... call it a hunch." He added, before raising his own hand and gestured it towards himself. The running faunus was immediately brought forward to him at a faster rate than before he ran and said man found himself lowered onto the ground in front of him. Artyr looked at Winter.

"Don't shoot him, understood?" He told her quietly.

"Yes, sir." Winter told him, bitterly.

The faunus stood in front of him dumbfounded. Artyr, Uncle Ozpin/ma and Winter looked at him.

"What's your beef?" Uncle Oz spoke for them. His nephew looked at him with a questioning look under his helmet. The faunus shook his head to clear it.

"My name is Victor Taurus. I'm a Commander of the local White Fang group here." At this Winter growled at him. Some kind of feud associated with that name apparently.

"I come in peace and goodwill on behalf of my people: both White Fang and Faunus," He said, humbly.

"Yourselves?" He asked. His hand didn't go to his sword, they noticed.

"I am Ozma Sym, formerly of the Order of the Jedi Knights. The man next to me is Artyr Sym, formerly of the Jedi Order, and this is Specialist Winter." Uncle Oz said, half-lying. Artyr bowed per the Jedi fashion.

"We come looking for the 'fugitive' that came through here from the wealthier part of town. We have seen the bodies of your fallen kin. Our condolences, Commander." The three bowed with Winter being forced by Ozma's hand on her back. Adam bowed back.

"Are you by any chance related to Aogust Sym, the huntsman?"

"Aogust Sym is my nephew and Artyr is his firstborn son," Ozma replied. Victor looked at the two of them in shock. He bowed respectively.

"I didn't know there were others that bore his surname!" Artyr took off his helmet in response and as proof. Victor Taurus looked at him with recognition.

"You definitely look like him: I'd know that face and those eyes anywhere." The faunus said, both impressed and nodding as he smiled.

"I must assume you are here for the fugitive from the wealthier part of the Kingdom?" He asked. Artyr nodded.

"Of course, it's a private matter for us. We'll be happy to take him out of Atlas and out of your hands, Commander." Artyr said.

"I have ordered my men not to kill him as I felt that you wanted him for one reason or another. I'm glad to see that I was not mistaken." Victor said, smiling.

'You can't kill people like us, Vic. You have no idea what would happen."

"Have you found him?" The Atlas specialist asked. Her family's enemy looked at her with an angry, yet reserved expression judging by his mouth. His eyes were unreadable.

"No, we are searching for him as we speak. Suffice to say: a lot of people want his head for what he's done."

"We saw the bodies. You have our condolences, Commander. I must ask if any of those murdered were members of the White Fang?" Artyr asked, solemnly.

"No, sadly. Those were ill-minded youths who should've chosen a better path. We've been trying to keep a lid on the gang situation for sometime, mind you." Victor told him, honestly with an equally sad expression.

"And yet, you bomb and kill humans and steal our shit." Winter growled before the faunus could add anything else. Victor snorted in response.

"Need I remind you of the untold generations of suffering you inflicted on us, Schnee?" Winter's eyes widened as he spoke her name.

"I know whom you are and there's a price on your head just as much as there is a price on all of ours. But right now: I want this foreigner out of our streets and away from us and I'd rather not have something much worse happen." The faunus said, honestly.

Artyr paused as he felt a disturbance in the Force. Like something had been shot. It was ripple of darkness. Artyr's head shot up and looked down the street. Something just happened.

XXX

Toph flew through the air above the ghetto. He dodged various blaster bolts and RPGs that were fired at him. Jeez, a lot more people than the last group! They numbered about a whole company. A cacophony of shouts, curses and jeers came at him. He dropped all of his frag grenades to show his appreciation for their hospitality to him.

"Bombs away, kriffers! Hope you like the present from Clan Bren!" He yelled through his helmet's speakers. A chorus of screams and explosions happened below him, bodies either flying or being shredded. He grinned as he saw the result.

Just then, he felt something hit his jet pack's left thruster, followed by several more shots.

"Oh poodoo!" The now-packless Mandalorian shouted as the pack then made him veer through the air as he screamed. If he didn't act right, he was going to be blown to hell! He disengaged the locks that connected him to the pack and he crashed through the air as his pack exploded behind him.

"Kriffing A!" He roared as he first rolled on a building's rooftop as the momentum of his fall made him go forward. He fell into a huge pile of garbage bags, dirtying his armor. The smell was unbelievable: he didn't want to know what these people ate much less the baby diapers that were in here as well!

"MOTHER KRIFFER!" He bellowed angrily as he got out of the unbearably large pile.

"AND I HAD THIS ARMOR CLEANED AND POLISHED TWO DAYS AGO!" The Mandalorian roared in anger as he tried to wipe off the stains of leftover foodstuffs from his once-polished armor. He couldn't believe this- He grunted as he felt something probe his mind, as if ascertaining his location.

"Get out of my head, _Jettii_!" He grunted as he clutched his helmet. It stopped and he felt as though something or someone angry was coming after him. He got out of the dumpster, not wanting to get caught again. He found himself on the move.

He ran up the street and then turned left down the intersection only to see a horrid sight. A large group of freaks in similar dressed clothes of black and red along with their faces tattooed in black or red ink. They wielded bats, chairs, swords, knives, you name it.

 _"Oh, kriff."_ He whispered before turning around to see that the other way was blocked by members of yet another freak group that were similarly armed only their clothes were grey and blue! Two different street gangs that 'ganged' up on him right now. He looked between them. he was about to go down the center street away from them only to find freaks in purple and orange colored street clothing coming out of alleyways.

"Oh come on!" He roared. He brought out his blaster pistols.

"You've got nowhere to run, asshole!" One of the freaks yelled.

"You're gonna' pay for what you owe, dawg!" Another one said.

"Yo! I'm a dog faunus, asshole!" Another person responded. The gangs carried on despite the dispute. . Others jeered at the Mandalorian as they walked forward with murderous expressions.

Toph wondered if that Jedi was coming soon and with help, because he sure needed a miracle right about now. The three groups charged at him right as fire came down from the rooftops.

XXX

"What is it?" Uncle Oz asked, worried.

"I sensed a disturbance in the Force," Artyr announced. Just then Victor brought out a scroll.

"Taurus, what is it?" He asked, turning. Taurus's head shot up.

"What do you mean 'he got shot down'?!" He said, exasperated. Artyr looked at him in surprise. He couldn't believe this bantha-shit he was hearing. He knew what just happened.

"Make sure he's okay by the time I get there! Don't let anyone else get near him, understand?" Victor said, angrily and hung up. Artyr stomped over to Victor in shock and anger.

 _"You shot down Toph?!"_ Artyr said, exasperated. Victor looked at him in surprise.

 _"You shot down my little brother?!"_ He said, angrily. Victor took a step back and his jaw dropped before he muttered 'fuck'.

"He's your brother?!" Victor said, shocked.

"I didn't know I had brothers until about last week! I've got another brother I didn't know I had over in Vacuo! My Mom is worried sick about him because he shot those two cops last night!" Artyr roared in his face angry. Victor looked at Uncle Oz and Winter whom looked a bit scared themselves as Artyr ranted.

 _"And if one hair on his head is hurt, I'm breaking those damned horns of yours and shoving them up your fucking ass!"_ Artyr roared angrily as he gestured. Victor rubbed his face and took off his mask, revealing determined and sad green eyes.

"Mr. Sym, I'm just as surprised as you are. I gave my men strict orders not to hurt him. He's been causing a real panic in our community all day and a lot of people have died." Victor explained as he tried to reassure the ex-Jedi.

"Damn straight people have died!" Artyr scoffed.

"He shot those cops because he didn't like the way they were talking to him! He shot those kids out there and everyone else because he thought they were disrespecting him! He was raised by the Force-damned Mandalorians for crying out loud! And I'm not talking about those pansy New ones, either! I'm talking Old-school!" Artyr ranted and then groaned.

"I can't believe this bantha shit!" He roared at the sky. He force-scanned for Toph and found his presence farther away. He pinpointed his location as he was that damned pissed right now. He felt Toph's pain. He was alone in a sea of hatred and unforgiving anger.

"Try to keep up!" Artyr yelled, force-grabbing his monoculars and putting his helmet back on. Artyr then force-ran down the street like a bolt of lightning. Right now, safety for himself wasn't his concern... or that of others just Toph. He ran as fast as the Force allowed him to.

XXX

Victor looked at the firstborn son of Aogust Sym as he ran like nobody had ever run before in his life. He was shocked at the turn of events: the fugitive was the second born son of Aogust Sym, a reputable huntsman and a stranger as well as a friend to both humans and faunus. Said fugitive's name was 'Toph' and he was something called a 'Mandalorian'.

"What-" he started to say right as he saw Ozma Sym run like a bolt of lightning after his nephew.

"This just keeps getting better and better," Winter said, angrily as she stepped up to Victor as she shook her head.

"Did you know Aogust as well?" He asked. The Atlas military officer looked at him. She scoffed

"Of course, I did." She said without emotion.

"He beat my abusive father to a pulp." She said, before bringing out her sword and then made a motion. Snow-flake-like Glyphs suddenly appeared in front of her and Winter disappeared after the others. He looked at her in shock.

"Good thing my semblance is Super Stamina," He muttered, running as fast as he could again.

He wasn't like others with agility or camouflage. Unfortunately, he was more like a bull that charged. That, and the fact that he was going to need to hear a long explanation on what the hell Artyr Sym just talked about! All the while coming up with some lies and half-truths for Sienna Khan as he knew for a fact that Adam was probably having spies in her council or staff. He was also going to need to tell the now-retired founder of the White Fang that Aogust Sym had children as the two were considered close friends if he heard things right. But he sure wasn't going to tell his cousin about this, for sure!


	41. Chapter 41: My Brother's Keeper II

_Chapter 41_

 _(For those of you whom have read the story so far: thank you for your support and comments! I appreciate them very, very much! I hope you all have had a Happy New Year and Christmas!)_

The dust bullets tore into the building fired from a forty-five degree angle, with about fifteen guns trained on the building as a warning to everyone below them. Everyone, including that faunus-killing fugitive, ducked to save their sorry skins. The smoke from their guns went up to the sky as incense and the faunus on the rooftop looked down. The building opposite of them was riddled with bullet holes and the glass was shattered. Thankfully none were inside or there would've been _hell_ to pay.

"By order of Commander Victor Taurus of the White Fang: You are ordered to not harm the intruder! He's to be not harmed for the time being!" A panther-faunus roared from the rooftops. A loud chorus of jeers came about as the faunus gangsters started to get closer, their gang colors a mixture of gray, purple, blue, and others. The panther had to shake his head. They were idiots. The White Fang platoon had a high ground and some of the others were coming up and around from behind to surround them as he spoke. Either they would obey, or they would end up learning the hard way.

It was a sad day when faunus killed faunus... when anyone had to kill anyone, really. After today, the funerals would last for probably a week if they didn't have a big enough church to get the bodies too. The White Fang would sure compensate the families as it had been founded to protect faunus... well, peacefully in origin actually.

"Yo! He killed my cousin!" A dog faunus yelled, his beagle-ears flopping as he spoke.

"My sister got blown up because of this d-bag!" A rabbit girl with blue and gray gang colors roared.

"My uncle and my brother got shot in the face!" A goat faunus roared, pointing at him.

The fugitive looked around in confusion. He obviously didn't get the picture. He held his pistols still as he looked to and fro. He kept looking around as he backed up like a cornered dog in a fight. Dogs fought hard when cornered obviously.

Just as he was about to speak, something blazed through the gray-blue gang: the Twenty-Street Unerates, rushing and pushing past them. In a flash, a gray-armored figure stood in the middle of all three gangs. The fugitive looked stunned by what he saw as the figure towered over him like a giant. The fugitive must've been about five-feet. This guy was about six-feet tall like Adam Taurus, Victor's cousin. This guy was bulky in his armor. In one hand he held some kind of sub-machine gun or shortened assault rifle he never saw before. In the other, he held the hilt of a bladeless sword. It looked oddly familiar.

"Hey, Burt. What do you see?" He whispered to the bird-faunus next to him. Burt squinted as he leaned forward.

"He's got some kind of hilt. Looks familiar,"

"That, and his armor looks kind of similar to the fugitive's..." The two White Fangers looked at each other. Who was this newcomer?

The surrounding gangs looked at the newcomer in shock.

"Who's this asshole?!" Someone shouted, followed by similar questions. Just then, another green blur appeared and stood alongside the gray-figured.

"What is this? An episode of ' _Color Rangers_ '?" A White Fang member asked as he looked around, referring to a popular cartoon show a while back. A lot of people loved that show.

"Think the Red Ranger will show up?" A bat faunus jokingly asked, only for a slap on the head by a turtle faunus as a warning.

"Okay, now all three of their armor looks kind of similar. Same group? Same organization?" Burt said to his friend.

"But two of them have those hilts... look familiar, don't they?" Burt asked. He looked up in thought.

"Wasn't there some huntsman a while back that had those? Wore a brown robe and some tan or gray tunic? Funny guy? Loved to joke around? He also helped out ol' Ghira awhile back?" He asked.

"Now's not the time, Burt. This is a serious situation." The panther said, tensely as he raised his rifle.

"If any of them make a move: light up the building across the street: warning shots only. There's been enough violence as it is." The lieutenant for Victor Taurus said. Where was the Commander? Where were the others?! And how did those two get here so fast?!

XXX

Artyr looked around at all the faunus gangsters around him. His left hand, holding his blaster, gripped it tightly. He was having a very bad two months so far: his girl was here( a plus) his Order lied to him about his family origins, he was part of a long line of Jedi that failed to stop an immortal witch that couldn't admit that she was at fault for killing the original inhabitants of this world (whom was also his great-aunt by many generations), his ancestor had been a refugee that wound up on Tython and helped found the Jedi Order, but ended up dying trying to save his adopted granddaughters after he went to an alternate future, his father gave him and his brothers away from their Mom without their consent and it turned out his family must've been doing it for a shit ton of time, hopefully Adam himself didn't start it or he was going to personally choke that alien _son of a bitch_ with his bare hands! His long-lost aunt was behind the deaths of his first unit that he was attached to. He had a shit ton of subordinates and friends dead from a Galactic civil war in another universe... among other things.

Right now: he hated Salem, hated his Dad, was pissed at his brother for making his Mom be worried sick, his youngest brother was running around somewhere in Vacuo, probably alone and scared, and he was training a gray order of 'Jedi' that would _hopefully_ scare the living hell out of Salem's minions while he figured out a way to at the very least try to one-up Salem... all the while an impending terrorist attack on Beacon was in the works on Salem's side. Personally, he wished Salem could just piss off somewhere and die. He hated her that much. A lot of pain and grief had been caused by that black-red-eyed bitch and he wanted her to pay what she owed!

He looked at the Mandalorian out of the corner of his eye, his glare hidden by his helmet. The Mandalorian-raised Sym was about five-feet tall, about his height when he fought on Taris. Gosh, it felt like a lifetime ago now, though it had been about two years. The Mandalorian, in his brown armor, stood dumb-founded by what just happened.

Well, seeing as how he was raised by Mandalorians... he should be. And considering the fact that he was Artyr's own long-lost middle brother and by extension: Uncle Oz's long-lost nephew he should've gotten the worst ass-whupping known to man!

It was a sad day when faunus killed faunus... when anyone had to kill anyone, really. After today, the funerals would last for probably a week if they didn't have a big enough church to get the bodies too. The White Fang would sure compensate the families as it had been founded to protect faunus... well, peacefully in origin actually.

"Yo! He killed my cousin!" A dog faunus yelled, his beagle-ears flopping as he spoke.

"My sister got blown up because of this d-bag!" A rabbit girl with blue and gray gang colors roared.

"My uncle and my brother got shot in the face!" A goat faunus roared, pointing at him.

The fugitive looked around in confusion. He obviously didn't get the picture. He held his pistols still as he looked to and fro. He kept looking around as he backed up like a cornered dog in a fight. Dogs fought hard when cornered obviously.

XXX

Artyr looked around at all the faunus gangsters around him. His left hand, holding his blaster, gripped it tightly. He was having a very bad two months so far: his girl was here( a plus) his Order lied to him about his family origins, he was part of a long line of Jedi that failed to stop an immortal witch that couldn't admit that she was at fault for killing the original inhabitants of this world (whom was also his great-aunt by many generations), his ancestor had been a refugee that wound up on Tython and helped found the Jedi Order, but ended up dying trying to save his adopted granddaughters after he went to an alternate future, his father gave him and his brothers away from their Mom without their consent and it turned out his family must've been doing it for a _shit_ ton of time, hopefully Adam himself didn't start it or he was going to personally choke that alien _son of a bitch_ with his bare hands! His long-lost aunt was behind the deaths of his first unit that he was attached to. He had a shit ton of subordinates and friends dead from a Galactic civil war in another universe... among other things.

Right now: he hated Salem, hated his Dad, was pissed at his brother for making his Mom be worried sick, his youngest brother was running around somewhere in Vacuo, probably alone and scared, and he was training a gray order of 'Jedi' that would _hopefully_ scare the living hell out of Salem's minions while he figured out a way to at the very least try to one-up Salem... all the while an impending terrorist attack on Beacon was in the works on Salem's side. Personally, he wished Salem could just piss off somewhere and die. He hated her that much. A lot of pain and grief had been caused by that black-red-eyed bitch and he wanted her to pay what she owed!

He looked at the Mandalorian out of the corner of his eye, his glare hidden by his helmet. The Mandalorian-raised Sym was about five-feet tall, about his height when he fought on Taris. Gosh, it felt like a lifetime ago now, though it had been about two years. The Mandalorian, in his brown armor, stood dumb-founded by what just happened.

Well, seeing as how he was raised by Mandalorians... he should be. And considering the fact that he was Artyr's own long-lost middle brother and by extension: Uncle Oz's long-lost nephew he should've gotten the worst ass-whupping known to man!

 _"Mando:Meg cuyir gar gai? Meg ha'yr cuyir gar be?_ " He asked in Mandalorian to his long-lost brother. The Mandalorian looked at him as he looked at Artyr intently. He could sense the boy's suspicion as his lightsaber dangled from his hip. Artyr had made sure that he would stand close to his brother as he had his blaster rifle low to the ground. No sense in starting a firefight. 'Fire when the enemy fires first' that was the rule of today's mission. Unfortunately, Uncle Oz

"And for the record: Yes, I am _Jettii_." Artyr said in Basic/Vytalian.

"So, you're a Jedi that knows _Man'doa_ and is also wearing Clone armor?" Toph said, incredulously. His voice sounded tired, no doubt his manhunt had left him without sleep.

" _Commando_ armor, _di'kut_." Artyr hissed.

"And you're in enough trouble as it is. You have no idea how bad an incident you caused: _Toph_." Artyr said. His brother stepped forward, pistols in hand.

 _"How in the hell do you know my name?!"_ Toph shouted in anger as he looked at him.

"Both of you, shut up!" Uncle Oz barked, taking a step back as he looked around. The tension was... well, tense. The gangsters looked at the newcomers with anger and suspicion, seeing how they were protecting the fugitive. The White Fang up top couldn't do anything. If anything, their arrival had just made things worse.

"Citizens of Atlas and Faunus! This man is a foreigner and a member of our race!" Uncle Oz said, his helmet's speakers' audio turned up for all to hear.

"We are Mandalorians of House Sym!" Artyr said, taking his cue as he stepped forward. Toph's head tilted and he felt Toph's nerves get the better of him. He saw not a few confused glances and looks of fear at the word 'Sym'.

"We hail from the world of Mandalore and only plead for mercy and safe passage!" Artyr added. There were even more confused and questioning glances between the various gangs.

"Sym?! I'm-" Toph started to say, until Artyr's look told him to shut up.

"This boy is one of us, a rogue whom has lost his path! We have been searching for him as he is our lost and rogue kin! We seek no violence save that in our own defense!" He said. He looked around. The gangs still looked at them angrily. Where in the heck was Winter?! She had been a bit behind him when he took off! Then he realized... He left Victor behind, _way_ behind. Crap. Should've carried him the way here. Ah, shoot. He was torn between this charade and going back for Taurus.

"Your kin killed ours! We demand blood for blood! Eye for Eye! Tooth for tooth!" One of them shouted, a gray-blue gangster.

"I am warning you now: we are powerful warriors of both body and mind." Uncle Oz said, looking around.

"I am dead serious when I say this: One step further and you will all be pushed back!" Artyr added as well, looking around. He decided to take a risk. He focused his anger onto changing just one thing, just one small thing. He focused all of his anger into it.

 **"Any man or woman, be they faunus or human, should take heed: Few stand against us and most have fallen beneath our wrath!"** Artyr said in his alternate form's voice. The faunus all stepped back as soon as they heard it. It was like the voice of either a demon or a god, but not quite if one knew their mythologies or religion. They looked at the group in fear as did Uncle Oz. He could feel Toph's fear, his nerves were shot to hell and the three men of the Sym family knew it.

In all honesty, Artyr felt like they should've left him here... the kid had caused this trouble himself by shooting those two cops first and then killing all those kids and punks afterwards. So much death... all over Toph adhering to the Mandalorian sense of honor. And yet... what would Mom or Uncle Oz think?

Mom loved her children and she had clearly expressed wanting to see Toph and Kobacca again. Uncle Oz, during their talk onboard the Battle-axe, had told him that he had met Sym twins before: a lot of pairs in fact and had been all too pleased to meet Syms who, for once, weren't only children. And now: he had three, but if Artyr left one of them here to get beat up or worse... Uncle O would be really pissed and disappointed, not to mention sad. He was so damn mad at the kid for what he did... but then again: Master Bell's lesson resonated within him: Take a walk in another person's shoes. Toph had been raised Mandalorian his whole life. He lived and breathed his clan's teachings and had probably and most likely may have been seen as an outcast.

He sensed Toph's emotions: alone, tired, far-from-home and friends as well as family. In a way, it was almost like arriving on Remnant two months ago. Neither of them had known their true family. And Oz hadn't seen another member of his adopted family in sixteen years. Now, he was going to get three more Syms under his roof, along with finding out that Glynda was actually a sort of 'niece-in-law'.

That, and it was a real surprise finding out that Toph hadn't so much as turned into his alternate form yet. He may or may not have had an experience like him. It took Artyr about six years alone to learn how to partially control himself, how to not black-out during events like those... except for Athys and when Hunter died.

The ex-Jedi looked around as the gangsters looked at him with a mixture that was torn between grief, anger, confusion and most of all: fear. Fear could make people do crazy things. It was fear that made people have the Supreme Chancellor be granted emergency powers, and it was fear that drove the Sith Holocaust.

But, if push came to shove: if worst came to worse: then, he'd have no choice but to do the family tradition: beating the living hell out of whomever stood in his way.

He sensed a ripple in the Force... and more than one.

"I'd do as the Mandalorian says, brothers!" Victor's voice carried out across the tense silence. The gangsters behind turned to see Victor Taurus behind him. His mask was back on and he carried a serious expression as he spoke.

"That man in the gray armor and the man in the green armor are Aogust Sym's uncle and son! And you all know what Aogust Sym did for us faunus in days past when Ghira Belladonna led the White Fang!" Victor said, his voice carrying like that of a king.

"Return to your homes! All of you! Enough violence has been done this day!" He shouted, not a hand on his sword or reaching for it as he looked at his wayward brethren.

"For we have all heard the stories of what he has done to those who opposed him!" He reminded them. The gangsters looked at eachother and murmured. Then, one by one they all went home, dropping their weapons and all leaving, in small groups and then completely. Soon, the whole street was littered with weapons and faunus leaving for home.

Artyr blinked. He couldn't believe it! They didn't have to kill anyone for the past half-hour! No one died! Things like this were rare in terms of Jedi missions.

The White Fang Commander walked up to the group of Syms. He had a very serious expression as he looked at Toph. He took off his mask as he walked up to the two Jedi and his hands were curled into balls.

"That's your brother?" Victor said, jerking his chin up at Toph as the ex-Jedi walked up to him. Toph still held his pistols.

Artyr took off his helmet and looked at him as he leaned close for them to speak.

"Yeah, but he doesn't know that." Artyr explained, softly. Victor raised an eyebrow.

"We were separated and raised differently. Dad gave me to the Jedi and Toph went to a Mandalorian Clan." He said, softly so that Toph couldn't hear.

"How'd you get here so fast? Sorry I left you behind, I'm ha-" Victor raised a hand.

"Save it, I know the feeling..." Victor started to say.

"Artyr. Friends call me 'Art'." Artyr told him.

"Artyr," Victor stated, nodding. He smiled.

"Sounds like one of the old kings in ancient times.. King Artyr of Camelot, if I'm hearing things right." He then frowned.

"Kind of sounds like Arthur Watts, though." He said, frowning and then shrugged.

"Then again, Artyr's an alright name." Victor said.

"Still, thanks for making sure your guys didn't kill my brother. I don't know how my Mom would feel about that... or my Dad if he's still around." Artyr said the last bit with a bitter tone.

"I wouldn't know how our old founder would feel. I remember hearing how close Ghira was to your father." Victor said, honestly.

"Wait: Ghira and Aogust knew each other?" Uncle Oz asked, walking up. He sounded confused.

"I'm surprised you didn't know, Master Sym." Victor said, looking at him.

"No, he never told me." Uncle Oz said with a frown in his voice. Artyr sighed. Yet another thing the family kept from him.

"He never made that clear to me when we met... must've slipped his and Aogust's mind." Ozpin/ma added, thinking. It may have been something else. Artyr looked around. Winter wasn't seen anywhere.

"Any idea where Winter is, right now?" He asked the White Fang commander.

"She came back and helped me get over here quick as she could. She's hiding so that the faunus don't recognize her. She's well-known amongst us due to her family's history." Victor explained.

"Y'know, my dad beat up her Dad right? After said Schnee patriarch wound up threatening my Mom over my Dad's weapons and him beating his wife and kids?" Artyr asked. Victor's head tilted.

"Why, that son of a-!" He said, shocked.

"I'd beat his ass too if it was my own cousin!" He said, angrily with his fists clenched.

"I've got a cousin kind of like Toph: Adam." He bitterly complained. The two Jedi looked at Victor.

"Your cousin has the same first name as our ancestor!" Artyr exclaimed.

"Adam Taurus... is your cousin?" Uncle Oz said slowly. He'd have to ask about the name later. Victor nodded.

"Yep, only he's a lot more aggressive and bull-like. Me? I mellowed with age after my dad and uncle got killed. I got angry before... but I started to have a more clear head. Helps when your grandparents are religious." He said. We grew up with the Old Faith," He explained.

"Not many practice it these days," Uncle Oz said, happily.

"Oh, so you're a brother of the faith too?" Victor said, smiling. They shook hands. The White Fang commander then looked over at Toph whom was panting and had by now sat down with his helm against the wall, dead tired.

"Mind if I lay it into him?" The faunus asked, looking at Artyr with permission.

"Go ahead: just don't lay a hand on him." Artyr told him, jerking his head towards Toph.

"Gladly," Victor smiled. He stomped over to Toph.

"You! Mandalorian!" He yelled at Toph. The Mandalorian looked at him and groaned.

"What now?!" He roared in anger.

"I've been chased by you freaks all damn day and ni-" Toph started to say as Victor stood over him while Toph tried to stand up. And then the most ear-blistering rant known to faunus and man as well as alien began. It would've made Odin proud but Mom and Master Almira, and every Jedi would've frowned or cowered under such language used. Toph could only listen in horror and shock. On the rooftops, the White Fang group loyal to Victor laughed heartily and out loud as they listened in.

When it was all over, Victor stomped away happy and relieved to let out his frustration with Toph shaking in fear, but (thankfully) he didn't change forms.

"Thanks for your help, both of you." Victor said, bowing with the two bowing back. Artyr watched as the White Fang went away, obviously coming down to help take away the bodies of their dead for funeral arrangements.

"Now, if you'll excuse us: we must see to our dead and wounded. May the Gods bless you both." The Faunus said, blessing him.

"And the Force be with you," Artyr and Ozma said to him. Victor left them, walking away. As soon as the faunus were out of sight, Winter came up from an alley.

"Sorry for not showing up, I know how tense the situation could've been if I had shown my face." Winter said, happily.

"You're not wrong," Uncle Oz said. Winter looked at Artyr and smiled.

"You look just like your father," She commented. The son of Aogust shrugged.

"Let's hope it's just that and my abilities," He said, cryptically. She frowned and then turned to see Toph frozen with fear.

She gave him back his side-arm.

"Mind if I add my own two cents?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as she made a small smile. "I heard Taurus from down the street on my way here." She explained and then commented"Gotta' hand it to him: there are some words not even I knew... and my father used them around us all the time when he was angry."

Artyr looked at Toph as he groaned about his current state and wanting to be left alone so he could get some sleep and frowned.

"Nah, I think he's had enough. But, I'll be sure you can yell at him after he's had a full night's rest... and an ass-whupping from Mom."

"I'll allow it," Uncle Oz said, nodding as he crossed his arms. He then walked over to Toph who was obviously at his rope's end right now.

"One boy caused so much death... over him being disrespected?" She asked, incredulously as Uncle Oz kneeled down to his eye level.

"Like I said: Mandalorian honor is disturbing and yet laudable at times." Artyr told her, remembering what he learned from both Bellophoron and Odin. Like almost all Commandos.

"Where'd you learn all this? Did the Jedi teach you that?" She asked.

"A combination of them and my first unit. They told me stories about the guy that trained them 'Byro Oros', some kind of Mandalorian mercenary or something." Artyr said, thinking.

"He did some pretty crazy things. That, and every other trainer that the Commandos had that were Mandalorian hated him including Jango. Why that is, I don't know. Hell, Odin didn't know either." Artyr said, smiling at the memories. Winter frowned.

"' _Byro_ Oros', you said?" She stated for clarification. Artyr looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah, that's his name." He answered. She pursed her lips.

"Three years ago, a vigilante started making rounds in this section of the city along with other poverty-stricken areas. He calls himself ' _Byron_ Oros'." She told Artyr. Artyr looked at her with wide-eyed shock.

 _"Son of a bitch!"_ He exclaimed. _"He was here the whole damned time?!"_ Artyr shouted in shock. Winter looked at him in surprise. The wind blew dust and papers around as he spoke.

"You've been looking for him?!" She asked, tilting her head.

"Me and everyone he trained! He disappeared after Geonosis and no one heard from him since! How'd he get here?! Hell, do you know him?!" He asked, looking at her. So many questions came to mind.

"Where is he?!" He asked, hurriedly.

"I don't know," She said, shrugging.

"Mr. Oros and the Atlas Military have an...agreeable relationship," She explained, rolling her hand on the pause.

"He helps clean up our streets and deals with bandit problems and in return, we don't deport him from our land for illegal immigration." She said.

Artyr tilted his head.

"You _do_ realize this guy trained Republic Special Forces units, right?" He asked, skeptical of their ability to even _touch_ the old bastard.

"Well, now that you mention it: he's been beating me in sparring matches for three years,so yes: I see your point." Winter said, nodding.

"What will you do now?" She asked. Artyr sighed. He wanted to stay and find Byro Oros and tell him what happened to Hunter squad, tell him what happened to four of his sons and information about the war so far...but there was Mom and everyone else to worry about. Damn it! Decisions, decisions.

"I'm going home and debrief Toph. We'll keep him over in Vale under wraps. I hope Atlas can possibly work out some kind of compensation for the faunus community here?" He asked.

"Unlikely, due to my father's connections on the Atlas council." She said, shaking her head. Artyr raised an eyebrow.

"My family's the wealthiest on the planet. We practically own Atlas, though, not everything is known to dear old father." Schnee said the last word with venom.

"However, I'll see if Mr. Oros can come to Vale if he can and see you. I am sure you both will have much to talk about." Winter said. Artyr nodded.

"Happily," He said,smiling with tears in his eyes. It would be good to meet the adopted father of his pod.

"If you see him: tell him that I asked for him, will you? And if he asks why I was wearing Commando armor tell him that Odin gave it to me." He said.

"I will,"Schnee said, nodding.

"You have my word," She added.

Just then, they heard the sound of roaring engines. The Battle-axe loomed overhead and landed on the rooftop of the building that overlooked the intersection with a soft thud. The building shook slightly at the weight of the rust-bucket.

Uncle Oz carried Toph with an arm wrapped around him.

"Tell James to try to keep this incident under wraps!" Oz told her as she gave Artyr his com-link back.

"I will, headmaster!" She called as Artyr went off with his uncle, bowing a farewell as he walked. Winter bowed back as they walked back.

XXX

Specialist Schnee sighed. At the very least friendly casualties had been minimal-to-nonexistent. No doubt, the political repercussions of today were going to be felt everywhere that none suspected before. She sighed angrily. And to think that the same man whom beaten her own bastard father to a pulp was the same kind of man that would just give away his own children without his wife's consent! The hypocritical _bastard!_

She took out her scroll and filled the General in.

"That's great to hear, Specialist. I'll let your family know you're okay, if you want." The General offered.

"That won't be necessary, sir." She told him, smiling.

"Suit yourself... also, have you seen Oros around your AO?" He asked.

"No, sir. None whatsoever, but Commander Sym said he felt something." She told him.

"Must've been either him or something else," The General said, thinking obviously.

"Report back to HQ for a debrief. We'll let the politicians talk about this. Tin Man Out." Ironwood said.

"Yes, sir." She said, nodding.

She frowned. The General sounded worried about something. She knew from his tone. The man whom was pretty much a surrogate father to her was usually... confident but also professional and orderly. She respected him too much for her to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help but feel that he found out some very distressing news. And whatever it was, she hoped and prayed that she and everyone else in the Group would be ready for it. That, and she had to make sure her sister wouldn't find out about this.

Just then, her scroll rang. She saw the ID and answered.

"Oros, everyone was wondering where you were." She said, listening for the foreigner's voice.

"Oh, you boys and girls know me." The strange accent, a husky sound, spoke. It was obviously male and that of an older gentleman.

"I go where I'm needed and where you pay me to go to."

"Funny, as how I met someone whom was a part of a squad you trained." She said, crossing her unoccupied arm across her chest.

"Come again?" Oros asked,confused.

"The Jedi that the General no doubt told you about that recently came. The one that served alongside Republic Spec-Force? He was here, Oros. And I'd like to pass a very personal message to you in person for it." She told him. There was silence.

"This _jetii_... he say which squad he was with?"

"Hunter," She told him. There was more silence.

"And he's wearing their armor?"

"Yes," She said, sadly, remembering how the ex-Jedi told her how they had died. Oros deserved to know as a sort of father himself.

"I'll see you tonight:usual place." He told her. She sighed. She hated that place. The music was too loud and loose for her taste.

"And by the way: tell your pop that if I see another battle droid from off-world in Atlas or elsewhere on this planet again: I'm going to rip his skull out and place it on my trophy rack." Her blood stopped cold at what he said. She looked at the scroll in horror and shock. What did he mean by that?!

"He nearly got a lot more people killed if I hadn't gone out for a walk. See you then, Schnee." The scroll hung up.

Schnee looked at it in shock.

'Off-world'?! She looked out across the city to where the wealthy part of town was.

"Father," She said, worried.

"What did you do now?" She asked.

XXX

In another part of the ghetto, a warrior clad in midnight-colored ancient armor so old that only the most knowledgeable of Mandalorians would only know, stepped on a droideka's head as it twitched. It's life ended, violently. His blaster was held loose by one arm as his T-shaped visor looked out across the ruined street. Ruined droidekas and battle droids lay on the ground, all twitching or ceasing to function. Their old paint now replaced with black and red for their optics. If one looked closely, they would see the Schnee Dust Company logo somewhere on them.

He sighed. It had been a long-day's work. And now, he was going to have to clean up the mess as well. Wish the Bosses had a good cleaning service.

"Now, where did you get these, Jacques old boy?" He wondered aloud. He sure didn't remember seeing them on Remnant before. He then put a call in.

"Hello?" A lilted voice asked.

"How's it going, _vod_? " Oros asked.

"Fine, just doing my thing. I'm calling in a lot of favors, y'know. You were first on my mind when I told _them_ what I wanted done." The voice told him, honestly.

"Yeah, yeah." Oros said, nodding as he holstered his blaster.

"Listen, I'm here in a ghetto of Atlas and the strangest damn thing happened. You're not going to believe this shit," Oros told him, starting his story.

"I'm all ears, brother. Tell me whose ass I gotta kick." Adam said.

"Better, whose ass your grand-kid's going to have to beat to a pulp _again_ ," Oros grinned under his helmet.


	42. Chapter 42: The Flashbacks of Adam Sym I

Chapter 42

Adam Sym/Tyler Doyle/Elim Rawne found himself reliving old memories as he dreamt. Memories he'd rather be back in or not want to live through again. This one... This one held some mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was a happy moment, on the other, it led to what was going on now.

He had landed on his feet and hit the ground running. He was a lot smaller now, back in his old body. He smiled as he felt the headband he had bought his brother on his birthday on his head. If anything: it was a sight for sore eyes. He could only imagine the feelings they would have at seeing each other. He had Kat's Miraculous Medal in his pocket.

He breathed the air and sensed the world around him... full of life and darkness. He felt the all-too familiar presence of Grimm running and stalking around. In all honesty? Fuck 'em. He had a job to do. He had to get to Kat and Mike and then stop whatever the hell was happening... all the while finding out what happened back home. He had known all along that Salem and Ozma had been lying to him about what had happened. It was like they didn't want to get in trouble over what happened. Then again, he kept things from them.

Salem had been pissed before she left. He sighed as he had truly wanted to tell them what was actually going on: Somehow enemies from his past were coming back for revenge. Somehow they all started coming, thankfully, away from the Palace. Communications in his Remnant's day and age were all carrier pigeons and letters. So, if word got back, then it would get back in a matter of weeks to months. That, and he would always steal Salem's ball. Of course, the damn foes kept coming month-after-month, year-after-year. It drove him and his family bat-shit crazy without end! Him because they kept coming and his family because he ran off all the time to deal with them, but never explained what he fought or why he left. It tore him apart.

He had been through hell and beyond to get back to Ozma, the only family he had ever known since he lost all contact with just about everyone except for a friend from back home that he met on occasion. In essence: he had been the only one of his kind for the longest time. Then, all of a sudden, when his granddaughters were discovered to have magic... that asshole shows up and tells him his siblings were alive and so he had to tell Salem and Ozma that he was going away... _again_!

Salem's comment about banging whores got to his bones. The last sex he ever had was with Ozma's would-be adopted mother, but he had to leave her behind! And he still felt guilty about it all these years! Hell, she would've been a great Mom and a terrific grandmother! But, no! it's always 'We've got another task for you' or 'we need you to do this over here'. He didn't get a break until he went crazy after the Didact killed-

He paused as he stopped his Force-run. He hadn't wanted to think about it for a long time now... well, not that was short compared to his then-three-thousand-five-hundred-and fifty-seven year lifespan. He never told Ozma what happened while he was away.. He never told his grandkids what happened either. It was better that way. They didn't need to know. 'Out of sight and out of mind'.

He looked up at the cloudy sky that was pregnant with rain. He could sense Grimm running around with the Force. He sensed five presences a bit a ways from his position... with a sixth presence closing in really fast. One would swear this guy had the Force.

He could sense the five up ahead by about two or three miles. Two females... three males. One of them was all too familiar, so familiar in fact, that he had sensed it upon debarkation from where his people had been based before they were scattered across the vast multiverse by their new 'employers' after they were all altered beyond recognition to each other save by eye color. That same presence was his younger brother. He could sense that he was older now, a bit older. Whereas he had lived far longer than that of normal members of his race, his brother was surprisingly still young. Strange... very strange... the Employer he met had said that time had passed much less for them than for him.

He force-ran as quick as he could to speed to the town up ahead. It looked abandoned and incomplete like construction was left unfinished. Something had happened here... must've been a bad case of 'bad emotions leading to a Grimm attack' kind of deal. He jumped over a wall and ran as quick as he could to a rooftop overlooking the group.

He looked down at his gauntleted hands, his hood shadowing his face. For almost all of his years, they had been massive, earth-colored and ogre-like with four fingers and a thumb. Now, they were back to normal. It had been a long time since he had seen these hands... too long. They were smaller, man-sized. The scars that he got from the war back home not to mention the burns and warts he had from his previous life of food service were back. He would always look at them before this day and wonder when he would get them back. Now, he had his whole body back, or so it seemed.

He sighed to test out his voice. He sounded about... what-mid-forties now? Heck maybe even late-thirties! He wanted to say something when he arrived, but thought against it. Better to try it with someone else. He imagined what Salem and Ozma as well as the girls would think.

 _'Mommy, who's the strange man wearing Grandpa's clothes?'_ He imagined Hannah, sweet, sweet, Hannah ask in her five year-old voice.

He imagined Salem's shock and her jaw literally dropping to the floor. Ozma would probably faint, God bless him, and the girls would either be happy, confused or scared. Right up until he would start telling them his story. He thought with happy tears in his eyes. He looked forward for when he finally had proof of what he once was and what he thought he never would be again.

He sensed the malice of the on-coming presence... something maniacal and insane. _'Something wicked this way comes'_ indeed. He looked up to see the group of five ahead. They had stopped and drawn their weapons, one of them sensing the coming presence.

One of them was blonde with white armor and a shield as well as a black hoodie and... jeans and sneakers?! You call that protection?! Then again, he was wearing a tunic and a brown robe along with various weapons he chose and his saber. The second guy had a green tunic, green pants and black hair with purple highlights. The first girl wore a red and white dress that reminded him of German barmaids. She had silver eyes and black hair that had red highlights. The second girl was ginger with a pink skirt, a jacket with a white top that had a heart on the top of it that was slashed across diagonally.

The last man interested him the most. He was about twenty-five. His black hair was a bit wild and long with a beard and mustache growing. He drew twin kunai daggers as he wore a black T-shirt and a leather jacket with a hoodie along with jeans and combat boots as well as the large pack that he carried. He had a pouch filled with kunai daggers, throwing needles, and of all things... a gun. If he had been about ten years younger, he'd give him hell for it.. now- not so much.

Obviously, that kid with the purple highlights in his hair sensed something. They all started pulling out his weapons. He must be some kind of force-sensitive. A future prospective apprentice no doubt. Unless of course, he wasn't really able to use the Force and was just sensing someone's semblance or aura or whatever. Souls in Remnant were a confusing thing. Souls back home were more spirits in a body that were disconnected and then reconnected.

Just then, something flew over more than a few buildings and was about to land opposite of the group. Adam huffed. Not on his watch! He gestured with his hand and the figure wound up going a lot farther than he hoped and landed about... five streets away while screaming in anger and frustration. Adam smirked.

"Nice try, dipshit" He muttered. The group of kids looked over their heads as it happened. Then, they started talking to each other. He hopped down from his perch and started walking over to where they stood. No more charades, no more pretending not to know someone. Right now, he wanted to talk to his brother and find out what was going on.

The group of five young people looked at him with weapons at the ready. The oldest boy of them all stepped forward and blinked, his hands still armed with the daggers. A look of recognition flashed across his brother's face.

"Mike, you know this guy?" The blonde haired kid said to him. Adam looked at him as he stood, his hands folded under his robe.

"How's it going, Sasuke?" Adam asked, jokingly with a smile as he had tears in his eyes. He sounded a lot older. Mike laughed with tears of his own.

"Adam?" Mike asked, his broken teenage voice now deeper as a man.

"Itachi?" He added, jokingly. Adam extended his arms and the two embraced. Adam had noticed that his little brother had grown taller. He was now about six feet and three inches tall. He was now taller than his older brother!

"I can't believe it's you!" Mike said, pulling back, smiling.

"Guys! This is my brother: Adam! This is the guy me and Kat go on about!" He said, pointing.

The girls and guys walked over, looking at the much smaller brother.

" _That's_ your brother? But, he's shorter than you!" The red-haired girl said.

"An adolescence of soda stunts your growth," Adam lectured, smiling. The ginger made a 'huh'? sound and looked confused as she wielded her hammer.

"Mind telling me who your friends are, Mike?" He asked.

"I've got a lot of stories to tell you," He added. "One of them including why you're wearing Jedi robes?" Mike asked, inspecting him.

"And is that a lightsaber?" He asked, pointing. Adam snorted in laughter.

"Mike: I'm not just wearing those robes: I _am_ those robes." He told his brother and then shrugged.

"Well, used to. I did help found the Order after all." He added. At this, his brother's face fell.

"What?! You founded the Jedi?! You?!" He said in disbelief as he pointed at his brother.

"Jedi Master Adam Sym, at your service." Adam said, bowing theatrically as he smiled.

"Uh, what's going on? And why is your long-lost and older brother wearing your headband which you said you lost?" the orange-haired ginger asked, pointing at Adam. The two brothers sighed. They were going to have to explain a whole lot of things. Adam lowered his hood.

Mike's shocked expression told him everything as did the others. Adam's brown hair was starting to gray as did his beard. Adam smiled.

"Not bad for an old-timer, don't you think?" He asked, smiling.

"You're so..." The blonde kid started to say.

 _"Old,"_ The green-tunic kid finished in shock. Adam scratched his salt-and-pepper beard as he smiled. It had been too long since he had one as he looked at the gang of friends with his bluish-green eyes. His black hair was also salt-and-pepper and kind of wild-looking as well as untrimmed.

"Well, I am more than ten years older than Mike, here. And he's the baby of the family." Adam added the last bit to embarrass his brother whom blushed.

 _"Oh, what a touching moment!"_ A voice cried out, sarcastically. All turned to the newcomer. Adam frowned. The figure in the distance wore a brown jacket over something else that didn't cover his chest all the way down to his navel. He wore brown pants and some kind of shoes. He sensed he was hiding something and was that a tail?! This dude was a faunus?! There were faunus on this Remnant too?!

Adam rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Typical," he muttered, shrugging his robe off, revealing his tan tunic. His Suppressor assault rifle was clasped onto his back and his side-arm along with a Forerunner side-arm that was holstered to his hip. He had a Longshot rifle as well that was holstered also on his back.

"Holy shit! Those are Forerunner guns! Where'd you get those?!" Mike asked in shock.

"I'll explain later, Mike." Adam told him, dismissively.

"Listen, asshole!" He said and then stopped before turning to the group, interrupting his speech.

"Sorry for swearing around you all: but I'm on a bit of a timetable here." He said, smiling to reassure them just before sensing that said asshole was now running straight towards him.

"He-" One of the girls started to say right as Adam grabbed his fallen robe and twirled it right in front of the assailant's face before he could charge him while ducking with his free hand now grabbing for something: a foot or a- he felt his hand grab something scaly and long... like a tail. Grabbing it firmly as time moved slowly while using his enhanced speed, he swung the appendage around and tossed it away from the group, the robe now falling. He spun his head back. The others had stepped back in shock and fear.

"Well, well. Aren't we interesting?" The assailant said, grinning having landed on his feet about fifty yards away. Adam looked at him. His black hair had a rat's tail or something along with a corn-cob tail that went down to his ass. The man he sensed was maniacal in nature, most likely some form of mental illness.

"Who are you and what do you want? Why are you after these people?" Adam asked, jerking his head back.

"My name is Tyrian, good sir!" Tyrian said, feigning nobility and chivalry.

"He's a faunus?!" The green-tunic kid said in shock.

"I am on a mission from my mistress to whisk that flower over there away with me!" The man said, smiling.

Adam looked at the women. He saw that it definitely wasn't the ginger... but rather the red-head. She had a rose emblem on her outfit. The girls looked shocked as did the other boys. He turned back to the faunus.

"And why may I ask does your mistress want a teenage girl?" Adam asked, crossing his arms. Sounded sinister to him. And he saved many a maiden in his day and then some. The Scorpion faunus laughed.

"You intrigue me, good sir! May I ask whom you are?" The faunus asked from about fifty-yards away.

Before Michael could speak, Adam bowed theatrically.

"Why, Izunia, good sir! Ardyn Izunia!" He lied as he also feigned chivalry. Michael suppressed a smirk and hid his expression.

"I can't believe he's doing this," he said softly. Adam stepped forward.

"May I ask whom your mistress is? And what purpose she has for this girl?" Adam asked, stepping forward as he spoke in a formal tone.

"Why, I haven't the foggiest idea!" The faunus said, smiling maniacally.

"But one does not refuse the request of our Divine Goddess!" He said, raising his hands as though in a Church preaching to a choir.

"'Goddess'?" The group of now-six said simultaneous. Adam grunted in anger.

"Good sir, I call such talk blasphemy!" Adam said, pointing at him.

"And what is Her Majesty's name, scorpion? I have no time for games!" Adam roared in anger. Tyrian looked back in anger at the so-called 'blasphemy' bit as Adam spoke. He opned his mouth to speak and then his eyes widened.

"Her Majesty's Name is Salem, my good man!" The scorpion grinned maniacally as he spoke. Adam's face paled. No, it wasn't possible. It couldn't be true! Salem... claiming godhood?! He turned to Michael.

"Mike... you hear that name before?" he asked, softly so others wouldn't hear. Mike looked at him sadly and nodded. Adam took a deep breath to calm himself. Words could not express his emotions right now. The co-founder of the Jedi Order looked back at the scorpion faunus with a determined look of a mixture of emotions.

The Scorpion grinned.

"I see you know of our Divine Mistress!" The scorpion said, happily.

"Let me pass and take what is properly hers! For I too am on a timetable and I will not be denied my task!" The Scorpion said, pointing at him.

"Then we have a problem here: A big one." Adam said, force-grabbing his lightsaber.

"And I'm afraid your task is now impossible," He added.

"I will make you a deal: Beat me in a duel of combat and you shall take what's yours. Fail: And you shall tell me everything you know.

"And why should I betray my mistress?!" The Scorpion said in anger at the prospect of betraying his 'goddess'.

"Do you accept my terms: yes or no?" Adam asked.

The scorpion huffed.

 _"FINE!"_ he spat.

"I'll take the girl and your head as well for your insolence!" The scorpion faunus said angrily.

Adam raised a finger as he took out his iPhone and unlocked it. By then, Tyrian charged at him. With one flex of a finger forward, Tyrian flew back as Adam scrolled through his playlist of songs. He frowned as he chose. Again, Tyrian charged at him. Another flex and Tyrian was sent flying back yet again.

"Quit pushing me back!" Tyrian yelled.

"Shut up, child-eater." Adam muttered as he flipped through a playlist. He dropped his finger and happily chose ' _Hail to the King'_ by Avenged Sevenfold. Well, Tyrian did say something about 'royalty'. So, why not have some music for the fight?

Besides... he was going to learn just what the hell happened to this world's version of his family from this miserable pissant even if he had to pry it from his dead mind! That, and if what he just said was true... he was going to learn from someone, somewhere about what happened. He tapped his feet to the initial beat as he put his headphones in. He felt the faunus come right on him about to swing only for himself to dodge by ducking as he spun around with his unactivated lightsaber.

"Let's dance, Scorponok." Adam told him. The music filling his ears as Tyrian spoke. He didn't hear a word the guy said, but it looked like 'that's not my name' from his annoyed and angry expression. Then, the fun began.

"Shoot me if you can!" Adam said, happily, force-pushing the group of kids behind him far away from the fight with a gesture of his lightsaber. Tyrian grinned and started shooting. Adam smiled back and started deflecting the shots with his now-activated- emerald-colored saber. Tyrian then started running circles as he fired. Adam blocked them with his saber and concentrated his mind on Tyrian as he ran, matching his speed while also getting dizzy.

Tyrian ran as fast as he could... right until he tried to alter his path only to find out that his feet had stopped touching the ground. He looked down to see that he was now flying.

"What the-?!" He shouted in surprise as he looked back up at the Jedi. Adam smiled as he aimed his saber, Tyrian having stopped firing. Then, he stepped forward and started having Tyrian get bashed into walls of buildings, but he still kept spinning, his body broke through hard concrete, breaking it while his aura was still up. Adam laughed as Tyrian screamed for him to stop and to 'put him down'.

The faunus's scorpion shot at him time and again. Adam dodged each attack, having used the force to sense it while still making Tyrian go on a makeshift merry-go-round. The faunus's face started getting green as he was about to puke. He then made one final spin and slammed the faunus through the tall building next to him with a hard swing. He waited for the faunus to come out.

"Had enough, Scorponok?" Adam taunted.

He felt a great anger rising from the faunus. He smiled. Good. The angrier he was, the more mistakes he'd make... but the downside was the more damage he could cause.

Of course, the scorpion broke the terms of their deal and bolted for the group of teenagers.

"Oh no, you don't!" Adam said, force-grabbing him. By then, the faunus was just about to reach Michael who aimed his handgun at the faunus whom was now at the very least five paces.

"Bastard!" The scorpion roared as Adam brought the faunus back to him, force-pulling him.

"Get over here!" Adam roared back. The faunus, using the momentum of the pull, then aimed himself like an arrow at the Jedi, grinning evilly. Adam smiled back and right as Tyrian's arms were about to swing at him from opposite sides, Adam slashed at the arm-mounted gun-axes (or axe-guns?), slicing them clean off. The faunus felt a brief flash of heat as Adam stepped aside and then grabbed Tyrian's tail at the base... right above his butt. He cut the faunus's tale off, the heat cauterizing the wound simultaneously. All this happened in a manner of seconds.

Tyrian screamed as he felt the loss of his appendage, grabbing it and then pulling his now-blistering hand. his face one of pain and shock.

"You son of a bitch!" He roared, pointing at him and realized his blades were gone. Adam grinned sickeningly.

"Would you rather i have cut off your head instead?" Adam asked. He walked forward.

"Now, then. I believe I have won... or do you still have some fight left in you?" He asked, tilting his head. The faunus looked at him with fear and his eyes darted in a mixture of fear, shock, pain and what-else.

"She'll forgive me," he said, softly like a child beaten. He found this odd. Sounds like this world's version of Salem sure wasn't acting like the mother that he knew she was. Well, shit. This guy was either the product of mental abuse himself, combined with manipulation and what-have-you. Or... he was just a... well, not necessarily psychotic as one would hear voices in that sense. But, he was on the side of evil, the old Jedi had to say. He was about to walk away when Adam's voice stopped him.

"I believe you have something to tell me... about your 'Divine Mistress'?" Adam asked, crossing his arms. His lightsaber now deactivated. The faunus gave him the finger and refused his request very vulgarly.

"Very well," Adam said, nodding. His index finger and his thumb made a choking gesture and Tyrian started to choke from invisible hands. Adam force-pulled him over to a far-side wall to speak with Tyrian alone. Tyrian choked, his hands on his throat. Adam had Tyrian's body slightly above him.

"I'm going to show you an image from a projector. And tell me if that's her, understand?" Adam said. Tyrian looked at him, gasping for breath.

"Understand?" He repeated, having his fingers close together. The grip tightened.

"Y-Yes!" Tyrian gasped.

Adam produced a small holoprojector and showed Tyrian the image: himself in his massive alternate form, with Salem and Ozma side-by-side together with his own arms on both of their shoulders. In front of them all were the girls, each going from largest to smallest. Tyrian blinked in incomprehension. He had the projector in front of his chest so the others wouldn't see it.

"The woman... is this her?" Adam asked. Tyrian gasped to say something. He slightly lessened his grip.

"What is this?!" Tyrian shouted in shock. Adam glared at him.

"Is this her? Yes or no?" He asked.

"My mistress's hair look like dragon horns, adorned with jewels!" Tyrian said, his voice somewhat weak as he was being choked. Adam lessened his grip.

"And?" Adam asked.

"She has veins going from her eyes to her arms!" Tyrian added, weakly.

"And a cape!" He added.

"And that prick in the image has Ozpin's hair!" The faunus commented, gasping. At this, Adam fumed and then had his physical hand on Tyrian's neck, choking him.

 _"Watch your tongue or I'll slice off your rooster, you little cock!"_ Adam growled.

"The man you speak of is my adopted son."Adam began.

"The children are my grandchildren... and guess who's behind them all?" He said, rhetorically. Tyrian looked at him in fear and disbelief as the ex-Jedi put the projector away in his pocket.

"You're our Divine-?!" Tyrian said before Adam again tightened his grip to 'persuade' him from his blasphemy. Tyrian choked as he tried to bang his fists against the man's hand to no avail.

"My mistress never spoke of you or that-!" Tyrian choked as his throat was choked more tightly. Adam smirked.

"I'd give you a lecture on quantum physics and multiverse theory," He started to say. He became serious.

"But time is short. Now then, the man and the girls in the hologram: Where are they? Are they alive?" He asked, hoping to God that they were. Tyrian didn't respond in the positive way by speaking. He looked confused and shocked. Likely from the pain of losing his tail. Adam's grip tightened again before loosening so that he would still get the message.

"She never told us that she had a family!" He said, fearfully. Adam grunted in anger as he sensed the truth of his words.

"What of the Empire?" He asked.

"'Empire'? What Empire?!" Tyrian asked, confused. Adam frowned.

"What year is it in Imperial Calendar?" Adam asked as well.

"'Imperial Calendar'?! What the hell are you talking about?! Who are you?! _What_ are you?!" Tyrian barked at him before being choked further. Adam made a 'hmm'. It sounded like there wasn't an Empire anymore... or never one to begin with.

"Allow me to introduce myself again, and I do apologize for lying:" He said, still keeping his grip.

"I am Adam Sym, Grand Knight of the Empire of the Remnant, Adopted Father to His Imperial Majesty, the Great and Powerful Emperor Ozma Sym, Father-in-Law to Her Imperial Majesty Salem Sym the Clever," Adam said, formally.

Tyrian's eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock as Adam said his titles.

"And most importantly to me: Grand-Father to the four Imperial Princesses: Eve, Rachel, Sarah, and Hannah Sym." He added.

"So now then... tell me: what year is it?" He asked. Tyrian told him the year after his throat's grip was lessened.

"And where are we right now?" Adam asked.

"Y-" Tyrian started to say with sarcasm but saw the ex-Jedi's glare.

"Anima! The Continent of Anima!" Tyrian said, frantically.

"And what was your mission from Salem? What does my wayward daughter-in-law see in that girl? A threat?" Adam asked. Tyrian gulped as Adam's eyes flashed bluish-green and his face temporarily changed from human to that in the hologram as he emphasized his point.

"She has the Silver Eyes." The assailant blurted.

"Our Mistress in times past saw them as an enemy." Tyrian added. Adam chuckled.

"That's funny: the Silver Eyes and myself were on good terms with each other. I considered having one of their boys as a future prospective husband for my oldest granddaughter, if she so chose." Adam commented. Tyrian's fear rose and in the distance Grimm roared.

"So, she's been killing people as well as claiming a blasphemous title as well... and what of the family? Do you know or anyone else know about their whereabouts?" He asked.

Tyrian shook his head as he was choked again to emphasize whom was in control.

"Maybe..." Tyrian said, thinking as he struggled for breath. His eyes widened.

"The Relic of Knowledge! It's in Mystral! Ozpin-" Adam glared at him. How in the hell did a Scorpion faunus know about the relic?! And whom was this 'Ozpin' that he kept speaking about?!

"And who is this 'Ozpin'?" Adam asked, remembering how Tyrian commented on Ozma's hair. Was it possible that...?

Tyrian explained.

"He and my mistress have been enemies for a long time! His soul gets reincarnated into a new body every time he does, but our mistress doesn't die!" Tyrian said. Adam's eyes widened as he started to realize something. What if...?

"No," He said, dropping Tyrian. It wasn't possible. The old ex-Jedi thought of it all. Thousands of years had passed for both father and son... the son looked almost the same save for the hair... and yet...

 _Memories came back of a distant battlefield on another world in another time and place. A human soldier lay dead in a crater with his helmet off. Orange lines of fire lit the sky amongst other lasers. The sounds of battle were in his ears as he looked with sadness and confusion at the sight of a man that bore his own son's very face and hair color. His body riddled with holes and his mouth open in one last sentence that was never completed._

 _"Oh my God... it happened again!"_ He realized, horrified. Ozma had died while he was gone and had been reincarnated into a new body! No wonder he was alive for _so_ long! Then... what else happened?!

Tyrian backed away from him in fear and was about to run. Adam caught him with the force.

"Ozpin!" Adam roared as Tyrians' throat was back in his hands.

"Was Ozpin Ozma in a former lifetime? Yes or no?" Adam said angrily in the assailant's face.

"And where is Ozpin now?" He said, angrily. Tyrian looked at him with fear as he saw the untold rage in his eyes.

"Please don't kill me!" Tyrian pleaded.

"It wasn't me who did the deed! I swear!" He said.

"Was Ozpin known as Ozma in another life in the past, yes or no?" Adam said angrily.

"Yes! Yes, he was! Please don't kill me!" Tyrian pleaded as the grip tightened. Adam sensed that he knew something.

"Ozpin... what happened to him." Adam said firmly, looking at the faunus. He probed his mind, the faunus wincing and grunting in pain as a response.

 _"WHAT HAPPENED TO OZMA?! WHAT DID YOU FUCKERS DO TO MY SON?!"_ He roared.

"Cinder Fall killed him!" Tyrian blurted. He frowned. Cinder sounded like a girl's name.

"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" Tyrian pleaded with tears in his eyes. Adam dropped him as a mixture of emotions filled him as the shock of what was said had just occurred. This world's Ozma had died... his adopted son. He closed his eyes and then looked back at Tyrian.

"Where is she?! Where is the murderess?! Where is Salem?! Where are my granddaughters?!" Adam repeated as Tyrian cried and sobbed like the little bitch he was. Tyrian didn't respond at first as he cowered. He looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

"Please... please don't kill me!" He pleaded like a child begging not to be beaten. Adam huffed in anger.

"Did you kill anyone?" he asked. Tyrian cowered before him. The answer was obvious

His hands curled into fists. What about the girls?

"And what of my grandchildren?" He asked angrily.

"What did Salem do?! What did that conniving bitch do?!" He hissed, going over to Tyrian with his lightsaber in hand. He activated it. Tyrian's eyes watered as he pleaded for mercy. Adam's face contorted into one of inhuman rage and stood over him.

"May God have mercy on your soul," He said, softly with no hint of kindness and with one slash of his lightsaber: Tyrian's body went limp and his head rolled onto the ground with a face of horror. The millennia-old grandfather grunted angrily. Of course, the regret and guilt would hit him later.

He walked over just as his brother and his friends walked over to him as he deactivated his lightsaber. He hid his anger and sadness as well.

"Uh... Adam," Michael said, a little scared. Adam closed his eyes in sorrow. His own little brother saw a side of him that he swore he would never reveal to others. A side that was more of a monster than a man.

"What was that about?" He asked, worried. Adam sighed and rubbed his face.

"I'll tell you about it later," He told him, dismissively as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I have the information, or at least, some of it." He added.

"Also, what are your names, if I may ask?" He asked, looking around. The red-haired girl looked at him.

"I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose." She said. Adam smiled at her. She reminded him of Eve almost as well as Hannah. Innocent, pure like every child should be. Though he had a sense that now she was becoming more of an adult.

"So, why'd you kill that guy?" The other girl asked, pointing.

"And where'd you learn all those fancy moves?" She asked as well.

"Just... what are you exactly?" The blonde-haired kid said, confused.

"Well, that's a long story. A very long one, at that." Adam said, rubbing his beard.

"I think we have the time," The kid with the purple highlights said.

"I'm Li, by the way, Li Ren." The boy said.

"I'm Jaune, Jaune Arc." The blonde haired kid said. Adam shook all of their hands.

"Nora Valkyrie, by the way." The ginger said.

"Pleasure to meet you all," The old man said and looked around.

"Where's Kat?" He asked, referring to his younger sister.

"She's trying to find another friend of ours: Blake Belladonna." Mike answered.

"Seriously though:" Mike said, shaking his head.

"Those were some sick moves, man! You've been busy!" His brother exclaimed. Adam gave the headband back to his brother.

"So, where are we headed?" Adam asked.

"Mystral, we're trying to go look for our friends as well: Weiss and Blake." Ruby said.

"Mystral," Adam thought aloud. Mystral had been a small town in his day... how big was it now, he wondered.

"Alright-" He started to say, sensing another presence. He looked over to see someone standing where he shouldn't have before. The man wore a untucked white-collared shirt with a slanted cross hanging from his had some kind of weapon that was folded on his back, like when he was over in the Milky Way Galaxy back when he fought a later version of the Reaper invasion some centuries before in his own reckoning.

He sensed some kind of kinship between the man and Ruby Rose. He also sensed suspicion and some kind of magic that was placed on the man.

"Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked, looking at her uncle.

"Hey," Qrow said, smiling as he walked up. Adam found the voice familiar. He couldn't place it at the moment.

"What are you doing here?!" She asked, confused.

"Oh, I wanted to catch up with you all. See how you were doing." Qrow answered, shrugging. A half-truth, Adam sensed.

"Who's this guy?" Qrow asked.

"Qrow, remember when my sis and I told you about our big brother?" Michael said, putting an arm around his older, but smaller brother. Qrow then scoffed.

"That pipsqueak's your big brother?" He asked in disbelief.

Adam looked at him and nodded.

"Former Jedi Master Adam Sym, at your service." Adam told him.

"And I believe we have much to talk about on the way to our destination." Adam said, looking at the suspicious middle-aged man. Qrow eyed him warily.

"Yeah, we do." he said.

XXX

"Yo, Ty!" Adam heard fingers snapping. He opened his eyes groggily and looked around. The bus they had taken to Patch had stopped. Everyone was off of it.

"We're here! Come on, man!" Yi said, standing over him with an annoyed expression on his faceAdam, or rather, Tyler Doyle, groaned. The fox faunus was an alright kid, but he was annoying at times. That, and he was still tired from last night's training and meeting with Em and Merc. Hopefully, they weren't too scared. Hopefully, he could convert them from their wicked ways and back to the light. Emerald deserved that much and not just because she was a street urchin.

"Come on! I want to meet Art's girl before the day ends!" Yi said, grabbing him and then hauling the disguised ex-Jedi, and ancestor of an entire family of ex-Jedi,off of his seat.

"Everyone's been dying to meet her!" The fox faunus added, pulling his arm off the bus.

Everyone waited outside: from Rebecca to all of this world's version of Team RWBY. Glynda Goodwitch had stayed behind at school as she was going through a rough time. He didn't blame her... but he also wanted to tell her that what happened wasn't her fault and the whole 'taking the kids away from Mom' thing wasn't his idea. He never approved of it.

The sun shone down as the group gathered.

"That bitch better not be wearing my tops!" Yang said, angrily.

"Yo! That's Art's girl, Yang!" Yi told her.

"I don't care! That bitch has been in my room for the past week! And I've been waiting all week to give her a piece of my mind!"

"Need I remind you that you also tried to seduce Art on his first night here?" Ruby reminded her. Yang blushed in response at this 'Tyler' looked at her as everyone gave her shit for it. He sighed and smiled. Some things never changed.


	43. Chapter 43: Two Cowards and a Son

Chapter 43

The sun shone down as the students from Haven Academy had finally returned to their home school after visiting Vacuo's Shade Academy for the past week. Kobacca walked with Team SSSN(pronounced 'Sun') as they came back home.

Kobacca breathed funny air. It smelled of an unknown fruit and very... clean... it almost seemed calm and tranquil. Almost. For some odd reason, he could sense something amiss. He didn't know how or why he did sense things... it just seemed natural to him.

"Ah," Sun said, taking a deep smell of the air.

"Good to be back!" He said, smiling.

"What do you think, Kobe?" Sun asked. Kobacca frowned. He was about to speak in Shyriwook when he realized that he couldn't do so and that would raise questions. So far, he was learning simple phrases.

"Fuuuuucccccccckkkkkkk Yooouuuu," Kobacca told him in a long drawl typical of someone raised on Kashyyk when speaking Basic. He had learned it from a passerby. Apparently it was the same as 'kriff'. That, and he hated the nickname they gave him. Just what kind of a name was 'Kobe'?

"Yo! Language!" Neptune scolded him.

"Not nice, Kobe!" Scarlet warned.

"Who taught him that?!" Sage said, angrily.

"Noooootttt Koooobbbbeeee!" Kobacca said, angrily.

"We really need to get him to lose that long drawl of his." Sun sighed. The other members of team SSSN

"Where were you raised: the backwoods of Vale?" Son asked, sarcastically.

"Kassssshyyyyyyyyk," Kobacca growled.

"Never heard of it," Sun said, shrugging. Kobacca sighed and looked around. When he arrived with Team SSSN at the nearby airport for this part of the planet, a place called 'Mystral', he never expected it to look so... tranquil. Sun had warned him not to go down to the lower levels of Mystral. The upper levels were fine... lower ones? Not so much. In a way, like Coruscant or Kashyyk. As well as poor, poor Taris.

Scarlet told him that the kingdom had been built into the mountains and was the largest on the planet, with Atlas being a rival up north.

If anything it kind of reminded him about the old Jedi satelite temples and academies that were founded in centuries past. Kobacca sighed. He had heard so many stories of the Jedi since he was just a cub. He paused as he remembered that technically he was still considered a cub.

Then, he thought of home. He thought of his clan's dwelling and his adopted parents and siblings as well as cousins. He missed them all. Most importantly, he missed Grandfather Aoortoor. He missed seeing the gray-haired wookiee. He missed him. The old one had more wisdom than Mother or Father combined. They all treated him like family as he had been given to them to raise. They had been reluctant to let him go as they told him that he must go to the ancient chamber that lay beneath a great Wrooshyr tree, far beneath it, under its roots about twenty or forty klicks from home. His older brothers, Irbacca and Nartonn had escorted him there.

He had wondered why he had to leave. Why did his family send him away? They had made it clear that they weren't mad at him for anything, but that he had to leave.

"You miss your home, don't you?" The red-haired one, Scarlet, he was called asked. Kobacca nodded.

"Do you have friends, family?" He asked. All of them were taller than him by about two feet. He nodded.

"Faattthhheeerr, Mooottthhheeerrrr, Brrroooottthhheeerrrss." He explained, softly to Scarlet. Scarlet sighed sadly

"You miss them, don't you?"

"Yeeeesssss," Kobacca said sadly, looking down. Around them, the other students of the school that his 'saviors' were from looked at him like he was a freak. To be honest, they all looked like freaks to him. He saw kids with bat wings, cat ears, claws, tails, that sort of thing. One would think they were genetically engineered!

Now, if there were Trandoshans, he'd be pissed- hell, he'd happily kill the Trandoshan where he stood.

"Don't worry, Kobe. We'll see what we can do to help you." The one called Sage told him softly so that no one could hear, putting a hand on his shoulder. Just then, he sensed something bad... something terrible. He looked up and around, though he was short.

"Shit, it's Headmaster Lionheart!" Neptune hissed as he saw what Kobe couldn't obviously say.

"Remember what we rehearsed: Kobe's my human cousin on my Mom's side." Sun whispered to his team.

"Right," Neptune said.

"Sure," Sage said.

"Better hope he buys it, or we're dead. And Kobe gets deported back to Vacuo. " Sage muttered.

"Y'know, I can't believe we're smuggling an illegal immigrant into Haven." Sage commented.

"A homeless, illegal immigrant... whom may also be an alien," Sun counted with his fingers while adding the last one with a bit of disbelief.

"Shh!" Neptune shushed him. The students ahead of him parted to reveal a tall, bulky man in a form outfit Kobacca had never seen before. He had a full beard and mustache that was bronze-gray in color. He looked somewhat like an animal strangely. He couldn't help but get the feeling that the man was hiding something as he smiled and greeted the students. He then formed a frown as soon as he saw Sun and his team.

"Mr. Wukong, I trust you behaved yourselves and-" The man looked at Kobacca. Kobacca swore a flash of recognition went across the man's eyes.

"May I ask whom you brought with you from Vacuo?" the man asked. He suddenly felt a sense of fear, dread, and something else... he didn't know where it came from. He didn't feel it, surely.

"Professor, this is my cousin Kobe . He's my Mom's human sister's son." Sun lied, putting on a mask of happiness while inside he was freaking out. Kobacca looked at Sun weirdly as did the man known as 'Professor'.

"Why is he here, Mr. Wukong?" Lionheart asked, crossing his arms. Kobacca got the sense that he was putting up a front.

"Uh,"

"His Mom got sick, sir. It was a bad case of poisoning." Sage lied.

"She died and his Dad can't deal with the stress and taking care of Kobe, so he gave him over to Sun here so that he could at the very least have fun with his favorite cousin." Scarlet added to the lie as well. Lionheart frowned... or at the very least tried to frown. He pursed his lips.

"Why didn't your family put in the paperwork?" he asked, unimpressed.

"Uh, they're doing it now, as we speak, sir." Sun told him, nodding. Professor Lionheart looked at Kobacca whom looked back at him.

"Is this true, young man?" The man asked, looking at him with a softer tone.

Kobacca nodded.

"Not much of a talker, are you, young Kobe?" The Professor asked, raising an eyebrow. Kobacca shook his head.

"How old is he, if I may ask?" Lionheart asked.

"Uh, twelve. He's twelve years old."

"Pretty strong-looking for a twelve-year-old. Are you sure he's not a Monkey-faunus?" Lionheart said, noting how Kobacca's muscles looked. Kobacca looked at himself. Years of climbing trees and warrior training with his father, grandfather, and brothers as well as cousins had made him a bit strong. He had a better distinctive smell than most humans and better hearing as well, being raised by a clan of wookies on a forest world.

"No, headmaster." Sun answered, shaking his head while still keeping a poker face. The 'headmaster' frowned. He had heard the term before as well as 'Professor'. Those were 'civilized' terms for someone of advanced and higher learning on more advanced worlds like Coruscant and Alderaan, planets he never went to, much less saw save through holo-photos, holograms, and news videos that people occasionally brought into the village.

So, this world was on the level of possibly Alderaan. Of course, he heard talk of something called 'Grimm' and 'dust'... to which he had to ask' the dust particle'? People talked about 'dust' all the time. Why was this? Not only that, but just what was this 'dust' that people talked about. He saw different colored crystals that he swore were used by Jedi for their lightsabers (along with Sith and Dark Jedi, but the Dark Jedi and the Sith were long-gone... unless you counted Count Dooku, the d-bag leading the Separatists.)

"I trust you will watch over him like he's your brother?" Lionheart asked.

"And that you'll keep him out of trouble?" He added, crossing his arms as he looked at the faunus expectantly.

"Of course!" Neptune said, happily putting a hand on Kobacca's shoulder. Kobacca looked around as the other members of Team SSSN nodded as Sun Wukong responded in the affirmative. He couldn't help but feel a bit of happiness for the first time, like he wasn't alone in the universe.

"I'll leave you to it, then." Lionheart said, nodding. The group walked away, suppressing their expressions of fear until they reached their dorm. By the time, they reached their room, the five-man group all let out their inner emotions. Sun panted heavily, Scarlet and Neptune were breathing out of a paper bag, Sage took deep breaths and Neptune prayed to whatever God he believed in. Kobacca started laughing a very human laugh as he slapped his legs like his grandfather would do.

"Holy rankweed! It worked! You guys are the best amateur smugglers I've ever seen!" Kobacca said in Shyriwook while he pointed at them all. They looked at him like he was insane. He frowned and then realized that not a soul here spoke in Shyriwook. This sucked worse than that one time he got into a fight with an adult Rodian over what was better: Bounty Hunters or Jedi. Naturally, he went for Jedi. He couldn't remember how the fight began or ended. Someone said he punched first, others said the Rodian punched first. What all agreed was: the adult Rodian wasn't going to talk anymore as his mouth had been ripped off... and his arms as well. Funny how he couldn't remember that happening, but everyone swore up and down that it did.

He sighed.

"Hey, we meant what we said back there." Neptune told Kobacca. Kobacca looked up from his sorrow to see Neptune looking at him.

"We'll help you out in any way we can, Kobe." Sun told him as well, stepping forward. Scarlet and Sage also nodded.

"Well, I'm pretty tired from the jet lag." Sun said, stretching.

"The least we can do right now is try to help him learn Vytalian right now." Sage said, wisely.

"We've been traveling for twelve hours straight!" Scarlet sighed, angrily, dead-tired from the journey.

"But, we need to help Kobe." Neptune told Sun. If we're going to help him, we have to teach him our language so that we know what he wants." Sage said, crossing his arms.

"And I'm not looking forward to an earful of grunts and barks... as well as other things an animal makes for the time that we have him." Sage said, before adding 'no offense, Kobe' to which Kobe replied 'None taken' in Shyriwook. That, in turn, earned him a frown.

"Well, we can't tell Professor Lionheart or any of the teachers here about Kobe." Neptune said, listing what they can't do.

"And we can't tell anyone we can't trust," Sun added and then glared at Scarlet David.

"Like your second cousin!" He hissed as he pointed at David.

"Hey, nothing's wrong with my cousin!" Scarlett said, defensively.

"The cousin's a gossip!" Sun argued.

"He's family!" Scarlett argued back.

"So, how are we going to help him? " Sage wondered.

Kobe looked at them all as they spoke.

"What about the forums? Why not post something in code?"

"Oh: what? Like him speaking like a bear?" Neptune said.

Kobe growled a warning at Neptune. If any of them knew what wookies could do, they wouldn't be talking. Wookies were known for several things: their brutal strength, their bow-casters, and of course: the forests of Wroshyr trees that covered the surface of most of the planet of Kashyyk. Not many worlds, save Endor, could claim to have almost an entire surface of a world covered in trees.

Neptune shirked in response. Kobe sighed and rubbed his face as he groaned. He wanted to go home and be with his clan.

"How do we know if he's even from another planet, anyway?" Sage asked, looking at him.

"For all we know, he could've been raised in the backwoods of Vale!" He said.

"FRRRROOOOMMMM KAAASSSHHHYYYYKKK," Kobacca told him flatly in the loud tone that Wookies tended to use when speaking Basic... or trying to.

"He writes in a language that I tried to find on the 'Net, and so far: no dice. None." Neptune said, making his hand go left-to-right in a flat motion.

"Okay... what else?" Scarlet asked.

"Well, that's it." He said.

Kobacca sighed and gestured for a pen and paper. Neptune gave him some.

He drew Kashyyk as best as he could and sighed realizing the paper wasn't big enough. So, he gestured for a bigger piece of paper.

"How about I let you draw on my scroll on a drawing app, instead?" Neptune said, handing him his device. He found it odd that he would call his device a 'scroll' as it didn't look like a paper scroll to him. Kobe took it after putting up the app. He saw several icons on the app and what appeared to be a white sheet of 'paper' on the 'scroll'. So, he used what looked like the stylus and started to draw.

Many believed that his people were nothing more than mere brutes. What they would be surprised to learn was that Wookiees were great engineers if they needed to be, having taken inspiration from the local wildlife for some of their machines as well as a secret guild that knew hidden hyperspace lanes that would be crucial to either the Separatists or the Republic for the ongoing war.

He had been drawing since he was a cub. Of course, his clan commented on his drawings, but found not a few of them disturbing. Ever since he was little, he had nightmares... all the time. Some nights he woke up screaming and he nearly got banished several times. Of course, his grandfather and the Clan Chieftain both thought there was something up. He had overheard speculation that maybe it was the spirits that were giving him visions... or perhaps that he was Force-Sensitive.

He drew Kashyyk as best as he could: its forested land-masses, islands, the oceans, its orbiting moons, the sun it orbited, the neighboring worlds in its system and then he drew the sector of the galaxy it was in, as well as the Mid-Rim. Essentially, he drew Kashyyk's galactic address. When he was finished, he happily gave the result over to Neptune whom sent the copy to the other members.

Everyone looked down at the results. Sun's jaw dropped as did Merc's. Scarlet blinked and his eyes widened and Sage looked up at Kobacca whom smiled as if he had won a contest.

"Guys," Neptune started to say.

"I really think we can all agree that he's an alien," He said right before adding "-Because there is _no way in hell_ that there's a forest world that we know of that has like- three frigging moons!" Neptune announced. Kobacca blinked and sighed frustrated.

So, they seriously _didn't_ believe he was from Kashyyk, even though he told them like twenty seven times? He rolled his eyes. What was that Mandalorian phrase for idiot or stupid? ' _di'kut_ '? ' _disut_?' He gestured for the scroll back and then drew his family: Mother, Father, his brothers, sisters, cousins... and finally, over them all like a shadow: Grandfather Aooortoor. He was almost brought to tears as he drew him. He vividly remembered the old one's last stand against the Trandoshans that raided his village as it nearly burned. He had fought both as a beast and as a warrior, using the blade his forefathers used against their enemies like a Jedi with the ferocity of a wookiee. He gave it back to his new-found friends who reviewed it.

"Faaammmiiillllyyy," Kobacca told them, sadly with tears in his eyes. Sun looked at it.

"Are... Are those Sasquatches?" Neptune said, looking at the image.

"I thought they didn't exist!" Sun said to Neptune

"These must've been the people he was raised with... so he's not alien.. but he was raised by Sasquatch looking aliens." Sage commented. He frowned. What were 'Sasquatches'?

"That's your family?" Scarlett asked, looking up. Kobacca nodded. He gestured for it back.

"Graanndddfaaattthhheerrr," He said, pointing to the large figure in the back.

"Deeeaaaddd," He said, sadly. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Heeerrrooo," He added. They all had a sad look as he said those words.

"When did he die?" Sun asked, softly.

He raised two fingers.

"Yeeeaaarrrsss aggggoooo," Kobacca responded. Sage brought out Kobacca's sword and looked at it for the first time. It had been a pretty hectic day yesterday: packing for going back to Haven Academy and getting Kobacca ready to go. Nobody had enough time to even ask or look at his sword. They had fed him and clothed him.

"This was his, wasn't it? This sword?" Sage asked, holding it. Kobacca grabbed it, reverently, as Sage offered it. Kobacca sat down on a bed and sighed as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.

"Allll IIIII hhhhaaaavvveeee leeefffttt," Kobacca told them as he looked at it and ran his hand on the edge of the blade. His eyes became teary as he recalled the death and destruction.

"Was it another clan of your people that killed him? Old age?" Neptune asked as both he and Sun sat down opposite of him as they looked at him like a little brother.

"Sllaaavveerrrsss," Kobacca said, softly. There was silence.

"What did he just say?" Sage asked, horrified.

"He just said 'Slavers'." Neptune answered.

"Monty Oum: there are slavers in Outer Space too?!" Scarlett asked.

"Who the hell would want to enslave Sasquatches?" Sun asked, angrily.

 **"NOT SASSQUATCHES! WOOKIIEES!"** Kobacca roared at Sun in an almost deep inhuman tone that surely didn't fit his usual cracking voice. Everyone flinched at the tone.

He blinked as did everyone else. He realized what he had done. He groaned in apology.

"I'm sorry," He told them in Shyriwook.

"Soooorrryyyy," Kobacca said, solemnly. They all looked at him with concern. Sun hugged him.

"It's alright, buddy. We'll see what we can do for you." Sun said, softly. Neptune looked around.

"No homo," He started to say, earning a bit of a glare from Scarlett, right before hugging Kobacca.

"I can't believe I'm doing this... and we're all dudes!" Sage muttered right before joining in. Scarlett smiled as he hugged as well. Four teenagers hugging a pre-teenager like he was their sad little brother. Kobacca hugged them tightly.

XXX

Lionheart had a worried look as he went back into his study. He gulped as he sat down. For the past two weeks, not a word had come from Ozpin for the past two weeks. Something was off and he knew it. And if he didn't provide any good information soon if his superior in 'The Group' started inviting him to meetings again, then Salem would kill him for sure... most likely either by a Grimm, brutal Hazel, that sadistic and arrogant cur Watts, or someone worse!

He had told Salem as soon as he could as he pulled out of the meeting with Ozpin to confirm to Watts that there was indeed a new generation of Sym: Artyr Sym, Padawan of the Jedi Order and apparently some kind of Commander in the Republic Army to which Salem had flatly told him that the Republic hadn't had an army in a long time. How she knew about anything related to the Syms or their never-seen Jedi Order perplexed him. Salem was Salem... and she was frightening.

He wasn't the warrior he once was, he knew. Much time had passed and he was now reliant on a single weapon: the disk launcher on his arm. He had never been one for claws or natural faunus strength. He was pretty much a coward. He was the biggest coward and he felt pretty depressed about it.

He had tried to go up against Salem... and lost. He couldn't beat her. No one could. Not even Ozpin, the Maidens... even if there were a Silver Eye running around, literally nothing could beat Salem! She was immortal! And nothing could stop her.

He sobbed like a child crying over a dead pet as he realized he may in fact either die a horrible painful death if he wasn't invited to a meeting soon.

Just then, he had a thought. The boy that came in earlier with Team SSSN (although it should've been pronounced 'Season' as opposed to 'Son/Sun'.)... he looked so much like Aogust Sym, Ozpin's many-times grand-nephew. But... Aogust hadn't been seen in sixteen years or shorter than that if one counted the rumors surrounding poor Summer Rose's death. And that boy was twelve... but he had blue-green eyes... all Syms had blue-green eyes! But not all blue-green eyed people were Syms. Dammit! He'd have to keep a close eye on the boy. His life depended on it.

Artyr was sixteen and he was a spitting image of his father. And yet, he couldn't help but feel the boy had sensed something as soon as he looked at himself. It was like he had seen his future. His face paled and he could feel his bladder about to empty. What if he had seen his death? How would he die?! How could he prevent it?!

"Shit, shit shit." He muttered, vulgarly as he reached for the bottle under his desk so that no one would notice the smell of urine. He had to empty his bladder right now and the bathroom would take too long.

XXX

Raven Branwen flew back to her tribe's camp as fast as she could. Something was wrong. She felt it in the wind and smelled piss and gun fire in it as well. Years after abandoning her own child to lead her people, cut her losses and run away from Ozpin's hopeless cause: the worst was happening... or was it?

She had watched her daughter some times as well as her brother... and her (possible) niece. Qrow had relations with Summer before Taiyang married her, she believed. That, or it was something else. She wasn't sure. Aogust had tried to convince her to stay with Yang, but she refused. She didn't want anything to do with Ozpin anymore. Not after what she knew and saw. That fool.

She recalled how she saw Aogust fight against his long-lost and many-times great-grand-aunt. And Qrow was a fool for not even trying to learn about Ozpin and the Sym's relationship to Salem in the past! This was all one giant family feud that would end with Ozpin and the Syms dead and Salem winning! No doubt about it. The only thing one could do was survive.

That was what she believed right up until she saw the most disturbing sight. The entire encampment wasn't on fire, but it would've been or rather should've been from what she was seeing. She landed as soon as she saw the bodies, changing forms from a literal Raven to her human form. She put a hand on her sword as she looked around. The bodies all lay around her, unmoving. Fear gripped her heart. She breathed frantically and went over to one body and checked for a pulse. She sighed in relief as she felt it. The others she felt as well, even the worst ones of the Clan. They were all alive. They were all alive... but unconscious.

On the ground was a very big ball of metal that must've been the entire clan's supply of guns and melee weapons. Someone didn't want them fighting back. She listened and looked around.

"Show yourself!" She roared.

"Answer to me for this! What is this?! Leave us to die without our wea-"

Just then, she heard the familiar activation of a lightsaber and before she could react, she felt something disconnect from herself and spun just seconds after as she turned to face the opponent. She looked down to see a huge swath of her black hair had been cut off. She felt the back and realized that her long black hair, save her handkerchief was now gone.

 _"SON OF A BITCH!"_ She roared, her eyes aglow and her sword drawn. She was going to kill this punk-ass-

 **"That's insulting my Mom and me, y'know!"** A familiar voice said. She blinked. It was deep... very deep and inhuman. And yet, the tone of it was humorous. She had heard it enraged and furious in battle and bar fights and on occasion herself.

"Aogust?" She asked, unsure. Her eyes stopped glowing as the Jedi Knight appeared right in front of her. He was bigger than she remembered, which was off.

She took a step back in horror. She had seen that form enraged before. She had laughed as he had taken on Salem in that form only for his face to be scarred by her lightsabers. The scars were there... but so was he. His mocha-brown and semi-human-semi-alien face grinned back at her with his mouth underneath the X-shaped scars over his face. The last thing she saw of him was him disappearing in a flash of light.

 **"Long time no see, Rave! How's my goddaughter?"** Her former teammate asked, crossing his arms.

 **"Oh, wait."** He said, _faux_ pausing as he pretended to think.

 **"Unlike me: you willingly abandoned yours!"** He said, angrily. She stood before him enraged, her hand gripping her sword tightly.

"What is this, Aogust?! Some sick prank?!" She roared, her eyes aglow.

"'Sick prank'?" Aogust repeated and scoffed.

 **"'Sick prank' would be giving every known venereal disease into your tribe's adult men through faux medical supplies I would just 'drop off' near you."** Aogust told her nonchalantly, as he used air quotes. . He was a lot more cocky since last time. She found it very disturbing. This level was... just like hers.

 **"'But the sickest prank of all,"** He began, raising a finger.

 **"is one we've been doing for the past few thousand years... or in more recent years... since after the Great War as my Pop tells me."** Aogust told her, jerking his thumb back. She blinked as she tried to comprehend just what the hell he was saying.

 **"Surprised?"** Aogust asked, stepping forward as he raised his hands. She took a step back. His yellow eyes, once bluish-green, looked at her with a sickening look of madness, dark comedy, and confidence all rolled into one as well as that of anger.

 **"You should be,"** He said, angrily.

 **"I've had a long time of experience while I was away... a lot longer than you can even _fathom_ , Rave."** He told her, spitting out the word 'fathom'.

 **"And because of that experience: we can finally begin on our biggest plan yet. One in which I'd like you to be in on. Think of it as payback against her for all the suffering that happened to us."** Aogust told her, offering a position in some kind of mad scheme to take down the worst enemy this world had ever known.

"She can't be killed," Raven told him, flatly.

"Your uncle, myself, and you know that." She told him, pointing at him.

 **"Oh, so I've heard."** Aogust laughed in response. She tilted her head. What was he saying?

 **"Let me ask you this:"** Aogust said, folding his hands and pointed them at her.

 **"What do you mean by 'killing'?"** He asked, tilting his head as he smiled while raising an eyebrow.


	44. Chapter 44: Gathering of Friends

Chapter 44

 ** _(A/N: The Tanith First-And-Only is a product of the illustrious imagination of author Dan Abnett, whom writes Warhammer 40,000 stories for Black Library and therefore: Games Workshop, currently headquartered in the UK. The real-life Armagh is a city in Northern Ireland. Sorry for screwing things up!)_**

Taiyang Xiao Long sighed as Qrow sat on his couch with his nose broken yet again. It had been reset, but the bruising around his face made him look like hell. The clock on his wall read '8 AM'. Tai had spent a bit of the day along with Lira, getting the house ready for his daughters to come home. Lira had cleaned up Yang

"How'd it happen this time?" The former husband to the man's sister and martial artist asked, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance as Qrow took a swig of his flask.

"No idea," Qrow shrugged as he replied.

"Bartender told me that I bashed someone's head into the bar counter and then I got punched in the face. Of course, the bar got compensated for the damage." Qrow explained. He then frowned.

"But, it's funny, I swear I don't remember bashing anyone's head in." He thought and then shrugged.

"Must've been too drunk to care," he added.

"By the way, Yang and Ruby are coming by with their friends. They want to meet Art's girlfriend." Taiyang told him.

"Seriously, why can't she live with Glynda?" Qrow asked and then realized the answer immediately as soon as he spoke.

"Oh," He said, his eyes widening.

"Yeah," Taiyang scoffed as he said.

"A future daughter-in-law and mother-in-law in the same house? Not a good idea. Especially if said mother thinks you're doing things you're not supposed to do." Taiyang told him.

"That's true," Qrow sighed.

"So, I take it you saw the news?" He asked, slowly.

"Yeah, and we're not turning it on." Taiyang warned. Qrow tilted his head.

"I take it you know-" Qrow said.

"Yeah, and Glynda's not happy about it." Taiyang said, shaking his head.

"That and one of Ruby's teammates, Weiss, is from Atlas. Her last name's Schnee." He told Qrow. The drunkard sighed.

"Ice Queen's little sister," He sighed, shaking his head.

"Think she's okay?" Taiyang asked. Qrow looked at him with a serious expression.

"I don't _like_ her, Tai." Qrow warned. Taiyang grinned in response.

"Like who?" Lira asked, coming down the stairs. The two men looked up. Lira's hair was growing nicely. In the span of close to a week, it

"Uh, nothing, Lira!" Taiyang and Qrow told her simultaneously. Lira shrugged.

"Okay," She said.

"So, how soon are Artyr's friends coming over?" She asked.

"Well, not so much as friends as classmates." Taiyang told her, flatly. She nodded.

"What about Artyr?" She asked, worried. The brothers-in-law looked at eachother. Oz had texted them what had happened last night and where they were going. Glynda was stressed the hell out over him and right now: she had no one to turn to save her fellow teachers. The two of them didn't know if she was coming over today to meet her future daughter-in-law.

"Art had to go somewhere with his Uncle Oz. He'll be back soon." Tai told her. Lira's half-alien, half-human face fell.

"A mission," She sighed, rubbing her face.

"Just when I thought we would have-" She sighed as well.

"Hey, look. Your boy-toy comes from a long line of alien-human Jedi. He can take care of himself." Qrow tried to reassure her.

"It's not just him, I'm worried about." She told him.

"Art's lost a lot of good friends during the war," She told him.

"Did he ever tell you what he did during Athys?" She asked, looking at both of them.

"Athys?" Taiyang asked.

"Kid told me about that, yeah." Qrow said, nodding.

"I'm surprised you know," he told her.

"He told me a lot of things that went on back then," The-half-Kaminoan told the drunkard. She came down the steps. On the same level as them, Lira was taller than Qrow by a mere head.

"And I wouldn't tell his friends about it either," She warned.

"Funny, I was just about to suggest that." Qrow told her.

"My people didn't genetically engineer themselves to be smarter for nothing."

"Intelligence is one thing: wisdom's another." Taiyang sagely said.

"Noted,"Lira said. Suddenly, her head shot up as though she sensed something. Her once-alien eyes -now-human looked at the door as if something was expected.

"Lira? You okay?" Taiyang asked in a fatherly tone. Qrow walked over to her, curious and worried. She kept staring at the door like she knew something was coming. Just then, the door bell rang. She blinked and then frowned.

"Weird," She commented as Taiyang went over to the door.

"Who is it?" He called.

"It's us, Dad! Let us in!" Yang called. Taiyang let them in.

"Holy cow, did you invite the whole school over?" Taiyang asked as Ruby, Yang, and pretty much all their friends came in. The group of about eleven looked in shock at the half-alien-half-human hybrid that stood a head taller than the Xiao Long-Rose sisters' uncle.

"I-Is that who I think it is?" Weiss asked. Lira Su shirked.

"Uh... hi?" She said, sheepishly, not used to seeing this many of Artyr's friends... or rather, more used to seeing Clones and Jedi than human beings that were so... unique and different.

"You're Lira?! You're Lira Su?! Artyr's girlfriend?" Yang asked.

"You're the bitch that's been in my room for the past week!" Yang barked, yelling at her.

"And Dad- you owe us an explanation!" She yelled before Qrow and Taiyang could scold her.

"Why didn't you tell us that you knew Art's Dad?" Yang asked, half-yelling.

"And why you and every other adult in the school pretended not to know him on his first day?!" Ruby asked as well.

"Also: What happened to your nose?!" Ruby asked.

"You got it broke again?!" She yelled.

"Who did this to you?! Do you want me to break their legs?!" Ruby yelled in anger, her face red with rage. In Taiyang's opinion, she looked kind of cute when angry. But then again: her scythe made her a Grim Reaper, so there you go.

"Lass, I wouldn't recommend it." A strange-accented young man about twenty told her sagely. A broodnix cap sat on his head. Strangely, he had the Sym eye-color: Blue-green. He stood about average height of 5'8 with a lean built. He wore a black jacket over a gray shirt with black pants and... my gosh, this kid loved black didn't he?

"Name's Tyler, Tyler Doyle." He said to the adults, shaking their hands. The girls stood shocked as did the men, but Tyler didn't seem fazed by it.

"That's Art's girlfriend?" Weiss asked, shocked.

"She's so tall!" Weiss said.

"And you're so short," Lira responded, savagely. Weiss blinked in response.

"How dare you talk to me that way, you ali-"

"Weiss: do you want to start an intergalactic war? Her uncle's a prime minister of an alien planet." Blake told Weiss. Qrow hid his chuckle.

"Burn!" Nora yelled at Weiss after wincing.

"Hey, no fighting in my house!" Taiyang warned.

"And for heaven's sake! Get inside!" He said, ushering everyone in. He closed the door.

"I can't believe we're actually meeting an alien," Jaune said, looking at Lira. She smiled at him. Pyrrha walked up to her as did Blake.

"I thought your neck was taller in Art's hologram?" Blake commented.

"And weren't you bald? And you look so..." Pyrrha comm

"Human?" Lira said, sheepishly.

"Yeah," Yang said, weirdly as did Ruby and the others.

"How did that happen?"

"That, and why are you in my Dad's house?" Yang asked, remembering her beef with her classmate's girlfriend.

"And I'm going upstairs to my room. If there's one thing misplaced or damaged beloved object of mine: I'm punching you in the face!" She warned. Lira glared at her.

"I cleaned it as best as I could," She said, angrily as her fists balled as Yang stomped up to her room.

"What is her problem?!" Lira said, exasperated, turning to the others. She blinked. She had never felt such anger before. Such a thing wasn't usually common among Kaminoans, save for the worst of crimes: namely murder, theft of research, other terrible crimes... but the worst thing a Kaminoan would have were green eyes. And unfortunately for her: she had them. That, and she noticed that Pyrrha Nikos had green eyes as well.

"Yeah, she's not happy that you took her room for the week."

"Well, Aogust did drop her off here. And if he took her to a hospital, a shit ton of questions would be asked."

"Not to mention the wrong people getting to her," Qrow added.

"Now, will all of you please take a seat anywhere you like? I've got soda and water for you all."

"Actually: I'm twenty-one." The strange kid said, bringing out his wallet and showed his ID.

"You're twenty-one?! Admissions to the huntsman academies are usually for eighteen year olds!" Taiyang blurted in shock. Tyler grinned as he winked.

"What can I say? I got good grades and the skill to boot." Tyler asked.

"What's your poison?" Qrow asked, leaning forward.

"Oh, I can drink Thunderskull whiskey like any man. And-" Tyler said, raising a finger as he spoke with Qrow, walking over to him. He whsipered into his ear after walking over to him. Qrow's face paled and then he looked at the younger man in disbelief.

"You're yanking my chain! You can't drink four bottles of Atlesian vodka full on- you get alcohol poisoning or you're dead!" Qrow said to him in shock. Tyler grinned wickedly at him.

"I'm from Armagh, mate! Us and the Bavarians are the proverbial gods of drinking alcohol!" Tyler said, happily. Qrow grinned.

"What's going on?" Jaune asked, weirded out.

"Uh, drunk dudes talking drunk stuff." Ruby sighed, dead-pan as Tyler and Qrow went to get some liquor from the fridge.

"Two beers for both of you! No more!" Taiyang warned as they walked into the kitchen.

The kids from school introduced themselves to Lira and their relation to Art. Lira sat on the couch as Blake sat next to her along with Ruby with Pyrrha sitting next to Ruby. Yang was still up in her room, looking to see if Lira hadn't screwed it all up.

"So, you're Art's girlfriend? His lover?" Yi asked, sitting down on the floor next to Rebecca. Everyone else took various positions. Jaune and Li sat on stools with sodas in hand. Li and Yi had tea that Tai had already made for the ocassion. Qrow and Tyler had their beers and Taiyang leaned on the couch.

Lira nodded.

"Yes, for three years now." She answered.

Yang came back downstairs.

"I have to admit it: Lira." yang said without emotion at first.

"You did good!" She said, happily. Lira sighed, happily.

"So, start talking: both of you!" Yang roared at Qrow and Taiyang. Tyler winced.

"First of all: We lied to you because Ozpin told us too. It's kind of a tradition for him." Qrow said.

"Y'see, Oz is old,"

"We know Oz is fething immortal, mate. Art told us the basics about how his family's been at war with Salem and all that jazz. Why'd you think he offered us to join his 'New Order'?" Tyler told him.

Taiyang and Qrow nearly spit out their drinks.

"He told you about that?!" Qrow said, angrily.

"The more people that know, the more there's going to be a panic!" Taiyang added, paraphrasing Ozpin's ill-favored saying. Taiyang grunted. The kids all shirked or shrunk or in yang's case glared back at him.

"we haven't told anyone." Ruby said. The others promised.

"Artyr's got a daunting task ahead of him,"

"One in which every one of his ancestors from his Dad all the way back to the first of them all _failed_." Qrow said. They looked at him.

"Salem's people aren't the kind you mess around with, kids." He said, taking a sip of his beer. Scared and determined looks stared back at him. Tyler sipped his beer and sighed.

"Listen: you kids are young and inexperienced. You're all students, for Gods' sakes!" Taiyang warned.

"Except there's a witch running around, with who-knows-how-many henchmen," Nora said, counting with her fingers.

"She's got magical powers," Ruby added.

"And she's either trying to destroy or conquer the world." Pyrrha said, using her finger back-and-forth.

"That's the gist of it," Taiyang and Qrow sighed as they looked at eachother.

"Uh..." Qrow started to laugh nervously.

"Anyone here know about the story of the Twin Gods?" Qrow asked.

"We pray to them all the time, Qrow." Taiyang told him, flatly.

"No, I mean: Ozpin's version." Qrow told him.

"Oh, that. Yeah." Taiyang said, nodding. Lira looked at him.

"Artyr mentioned his Uncle Ozpin, but I've never met him."

"Well, he came here the night you were brought here. Along with Art's Mom and Doctor Dorin."

"Grandma was here?! She met her and didn't tell me?!" Rebecca blurted, exasperated.

"Is everyone keeping secrets from family these days?! Everyone?!" She asked, looking around.

"Fucking ridiculous!" She said, crossing her arms as she swore.

"Hey/Oi! Watch your mouth!" Tyler, Taiyang, and Qrow all scolded simultaneously. The three men blinked as they looked at eachother as the younger kids looked at them.

"Did... you just scold at the same time?" Yang said, weirdly. Tyler sighed.

"Guess it comes from helping raise two younger siblings," Tyler sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"So, what's the deal with this Salem character? And why does she hate Art's family so much? Hell, how is Ozpin Art's uncle?"

"He's not so much as 'Art's Uncle' as he is pretty much every other Sym's uncle going all the way back to his more biological brother Abel." Qrow said.

"Me, Art's Mom, and Oz talked with him about it."

"According to Oz, his adopted father, Adam, came to Remnant a very long time ago... back when the Gods still lived on Remnant, according to him." Taiyang sighed.

"I still kind of find that bit a hard to believe: that he met the Twin Gods themselves."

"Yeah, well. It gets weirder. Oz said that his Dad helped found the Jedi Order itself and then came to Remnant and adopted him." Qrow explained.

Lira tilted his head in confusion and then realized that she should speak about something. She turned to the other kids.

"We know about Aogust Sym, Artyr's father, back on Kamino. In fact, when we did Artyr's bloodwork, I found out that Aogust wasn't just his biological father, but had also disappeared on a mission to the Outer Rim of the galaxy about five hundred years ago: Galactic Standard time."

"Art's Dad was last seen about sixteen years ago for us here on Remnant, actually." Taiyang told her. She nodded.

"You did tell me that, though, I kind of find it hard to believe!"

"Me too, Sixteen years here and yet five hundred years out there..." Blake said.

"We also know about the attack on Beacon that's coming. That's one of the reasons why he's been training us." Yang told her uncle and father. Qrow dropped his beer.

 _"He told you everything?! Everything?!"_ He asked, concerned.

 _"Who else has the kid run his mouth off to?!"_ He shouted, aloud after all of the students nodded.

Taiyang groaned.

"Oh, my Gods. Did he have to tell the whole school?"

"Actually, he had to. Y'see, we confronted him about it after we saw him watching one of my Grandma's holocrons." Rebecca said, matter-of-fact.

"Oh," Qrow said to Rebecca as she gave him a look.

"So you know that you're-"

"A fourth-Sith... yes," Rebecca said, nodding.

"And believe me when I tell you: I'm not happy about it." She commented, crossing her arms.

"She hasn't spoken to her grandma since then." Tyler explained, sadly.

"Yeah," Rebecca sighed.

"We also know some other things as well:" Yang said, with false cheeriness.

"Like the fact that I lose my arm!" She said, raising her left arm. Blake grimaced at this, obviously hiding something, but no one really paid attention.

"It turns out I die during the attack on Beacon," Pyrrha said, sadly. Jaune gave her a look of sympathy, as did the rest of her team.

"I'm this close to calling my father about me getting impaled by the conniving _bitch_ the kills Pyrrha in the future!" Weiss whined.

"It also turns out that the Headmaster over at Haven Academy's a traitor, too. Art made us all swear to secrecy over it." Blake said, angrily. Qrow and Taiyang blinked.

"Oz knows about that, actually. In fact, he pretty much told us everything as well."

"Well, at least we're all on the same page at least!" Pyrrha said, happily. Lira had a worrisome look.

"He didn't tell me about a lot of that, actually." She said, worried.

"Oh," Ruby said, blushing.

"Uh, we'll make sure you come out okay, Lira!" Ruby said, smiling.

"Honest!" Ruby added for emphasis. Qrow sighed and rubbed his face. Tyler, for some odd reason, looked at him with concern.

"Look, I realize how much you kids want to help out a friend." Qrow said.

"But, there's always risk involved and not just to yourselves." The drunkard said, sagely.

"He's right." Taiyang said.

"The reason why we never talk about Aogust isn't just because Ozpin told us to." Qrow said as Taiyang walked over to him.

"He's a friend, always was." Qrow said, looking around.

"But the fact that he willingly gave away his own sons isn't something to be taken lightly." The Xiao-Long Rose father said angrily.

"'Sons'?" The kids all echoed, confused.

"Artyr has brothers?" Ruby asked.

"Younger brothers, yeah." Uncle Qrow said, nodding. The huntsman sighed.

"Glynda didn't like to talk about what happened: brings back bad memories." The kids were silent.

"We met Aogust the night he came to Remnant," Taiyang explained. They told the story of how they met Aogust.

"Both our Moms knew Aogust?" Yang asked. The two men nodded.

"After that, he told us what he was, where he was from, the whole nine yards." Qrow said.

"Raven didn't believe it at first until he started using the Force to probe her mind," Taiyang said.

"If I recall, it was her feelings for you, Tai." Qrow jested. His brother-in-law laughed a little.

"Yeah," Taiyang said, sadly as he nodded.

"Aogust hung out with us for a long time. We all did missions together. Hell, that photograph that we keep on the mantle is actually doctored." Taiyang said, taking out a photo as did Qrow. They showed the real photograph.

In it, next to Raven was a taller, bulky man with his arms crossed, grinning like he knew something everyone else didn't with his hood up. Two lightsaber hilts hung from his belt.

" _That's_ Aogust Sym?" Lira asked as the two men passed the picture around.

"Yep, that's your 'Uncle Aog'," Qrow said. Yang and Ruby looked up.

 _"Huh?"_ They both said. a

"Yeah, he was there at your birth, Yang. He's supposed to be your God-father." Taiyang said. Yang blinked. She looked back down at the picture as she saw her Mom.

"Aogust was so happy when Yang was born that he hugged your Mom right after as did Ruby's Mom." Taiyang recalled.

"Of course, Raven punched him in the face... or tried to." Qrow said, remembering.

"Y'see: Like everyone else in his family: it's _really_ hard to kill Aogust, much less harm him." He explained.

"I can't tell you how many times people tried to cut him with bottles or dust-enhanced weapons only to find that they didn't work on 'im." Qrow added to Taiyang.

"He was insane the way he took damage. He didn't have aura, but his skin pretty much was it... or rather his whole body: poison gas, nerve gas, poison darts, Grimm claws and bites?" Taiyang said, counting them all.

"Nothing. They cut, burnt and destroyed his tunic, but nothing could kill him." Taiyang said, remembering.

Lira made a sad expression.  
"But it wasn't always about him getting hurt... was it?" She asked. They looked back at her with a similar sad expression.

"No, sometimes others got hurt." Qrow said, sadly as he remembered.

"And then he'd get _angry_. And no one liked it when he got angry." Taiyang said, nodding. They both stood sadly as they recalled what their friend had done. They had seen the amount of destruction he could cause. Whole bandit clans destroyed, entire regions' worth of Grimm destroyed, powerful rogues brought to tears as they were beaten or chopped to bits...

"Did you ever calm him down?"

"Well, the only ones who could calm him down were Short-stack, Glynda, and Ozpin."

"We tried to calm him down, of course." Taiyang said.

"How come neither of you guys could?" Yang asked.

"Honey, your uncle Qrow's semblance isn't always the greatest at times when he's around people." Taiyang said.

"That's putting it mildly," Qrow told his brother-in-law.

"Aogust fought like literal hell for the people he cared about, us included." Taiyang said.

"It's funny: Qrow, Raven and I used to think he had feelings for your Mom, Ruby." The girls' father said.

"But, it turned out, he saw her more as a sister than anything. Aogust grew up an only child. The only person whom he could see as a father figure was Master Yoda, the little green guy that he always went on about." Qrow said, before he was about to take a swig... only to find that the beer was on the floor.

"Here," Tyler said, handing him another beer after going to the fridge.

"You're cleaning up that mess when the kids are gone, Qrow." Taiyang told him.

"I spent good money on that floor!" Taiyang warned.

"And we had to clean it a lot!" Ruby whined.

"Also, you were saying something else?" Tyler asked, taking a sip.

"Well, we always did want to meet Aogust's old master. He went on about how 'wise' the guy was, and how funny he was. Which was pretty much something as Aogust was usually a funny guy, himself." Qrow said.

"He'd play pranks every chance he get. Like one time, he decided to steal my car for a joyride with Qrow." Taiyang said, with an almost bitter tone.

"Several, actually." Qrow said, taking a sip.

"And thank the Gods I had insurance!" Taiyang laughed.

"What else is there to know? Not only that, but how did Artyr's Mom and Dad meet?"

"At Beacon Academy's library, actually. Glynda's always looking at books and Aogust needed a tutor to learn Vytalian. So, Glynda started teaching him. Then, they started going out on dates and things led to another."

"Pretty soon, they got hitched after we all graduated."

"Like you and Mom," Yang said, softly. Taiyang nodded.

"It was kind of cool: seeing an alien and a woman from our world be together." Taiyang called. Tyler grinned as he chuckled. Pyrrha looked at Tyler with a strange look. His eyes looked down as if he remembered something.

"Well, their relationship looked kind of rocky if I remember right." Taiyang said thinking.

"Of course, about six months after they were hitched, and a few years before Yang was born: Oz told him the truth about what Aogust really was to him and what their family did for Remnant."

"Needless to say: he was pissed and confused about it all." Qrow said, sadly.

"He then started doing things on his own," Taiyang said.

"He'd be gone for months at a time with no contact with Glynda, or any of us, and sometimes we were sent out to look for him." He added.

"Of course, he always came back." Qrow said, shrugging.

"Except for sixteen years ago," He added under his breath.

"There was also that one time some thugs came to his and Glynda's house and threatened Glynda... _right_ in front of him." Qrow said.

"After he dealt with them, he ran off to Atlas and came back. He never told us what happened, though." Taiyang said, thinking.

"Enough about bloody Aogust, already." Tyler groaned in teenager-like fashion.

"We'll have time for that when that bastard comes around," Tyler said.

"Right now, I think we should talk about how we're going to deal with the terrorist attack that's coming." Tyler said, holding his beer by the bottle-head.

"And since when did _you_ become an expert in tactics and strategy?" Yi scoffed.

"You and Art are always at eachother's throats," Rebecca stated.

"And

"On occasion," Tyler said, nodding as he considered what Rebecca said.

"Truth is: Art's younger than me by about.." He paused.

"Five years?" He thought and then nodded.

"Yeah,"

"Truth is: i've been fighting wars myself. Or rather _had_." Tyler said, shrugging. His friends looked at him strangely as did the adults.

"Let me re-introduce myself: lads and lasses," Tyler said, smiling.

"Hold my beer," He told Qrow whom held it. Tyler took off his jacket and then rolled up his left sleeve. On his left bicep was a tattoo of a human skull with what looked like a dagger stabbing it in the middle, with what appeared to be broken pieces of two other daggers right beside it. Underneath in a scroll were the words: _'For Tanith, For Armagh'_.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself: Tyler Doyle: Former member of the Armaghian Resistance Force and an Honorary Member of the Tanith First-and Only Regiment of the Armaghian Guard." Tyler said, smiling. Jaws dropped and Qrow dropped both of the beers, thus earning the wrath of his brother-in-law.


	45. Chapter 45: Flashbacks of Adam Sym II:

Chapter 45

(A/N: I hope you all like this new chapter!)

Adam Sym frowned.

"For heaven's sake," He groaned as he saw that this version of Remnant's moon was shattered as well. The sky looked pretty much the same... as did the constellations. Huh. He sighed as he remembered waking Ozma up in the middle of the night to look at the stars when he was still just a boy that he had taken in as an apprentice and as a son. He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

 _"You see those stars up there, Ozma?" His much bigger and more 'alien' form said to his adopted son, their size comparable to an adult and a toddler. He pointed up to the sky as the moon-then-unshattered, glowed as they sat on a grassy hill outside of their house. Adam had adopted him about six months ago. His hair was now braided in the Jedi fashion, thereby becoming the youngest (and first) padawan/son he ever had. His massive, bulky form was clad in the same tunic he had worn on-and-off-again. Usually, it was a way to identify with his Jedi origins. He had his hood down, not minding the cold. Little Ozma wore a coat that he had bought just for him, a brown bear-skinned coat for the coming winter._

 _"Each star is itself a 'sun', not always like this world's own sun." He explained to his son as he pointed to a star._

 _"The stars are other 'suns'?" Ozma asked in his eight-year-old voice in wonder as he looked up. He tried to comprehend it. Adam chuckled. This world was vastly primitive compared to back home. Nevertheless, each child deserved to wonder about the stars, like himself. He looked up. His face turned to sorrow briefly. He imagined just how many wars he was going to have to fight, and how much suffering he was going to have to witness... all over working for_ them! _His face became happy again._

 _"Yes," Adam smiled, his deep voice paternal and scholarly. His blue-green eyes looked down on that of his son's own brown. Little Ozma had his hood up._

 _"When I was your age, I wanted to be the first of my family to go to other worlds, be among the first to set foot on a world with an," He smiled as he said the word. "'alien' sun." He told his own adopted son as he looked at him. He looked back up, reminiscing about the then-future colonization efforts that were underway... the efforts that never came._

 _"Before I was born, my people set foot on our own moon, actually. We had sent out things called 'probes' and 'rovers' to other worlds and even outside of our own solar system." He told Ozma, remembering all the missions that he heard about._

 _"'Solar System'?" Ozma asked, looking up._

 _"A solar system is, in basic terms, a group of worlds like our own, or in most cases not like our own, that orbit a sun or in almost all cases: more than one sun." Adam explained, raising a finger._

 _"There are worlds with more than one sun?!" Little Ozma exclaimed, surprised. Adam laughed at his naievete. Children that were ignorant of war and suffering were best. However, Ozma wasn't a stranger to war as his own birth parents were killed six months ago, a month after his eighth birthday. A pity._

 _He remembered Ozma's birth father: Azdan. He remembered the adventures they had together before he met Nira and the battlemage settled down. Of course, Azdan had encouraged him to start a family as well._

 _The old co-founder of the Jedi had explained to Azdan why that was. Of course, Azdan and his wife kept encouraging him. Then, came that fateful day they died. Azdan had entrusted him, with his dying breath, to raise his son like he was his own._

 _"I've been to several of those, myself actually. You're too little to understand right now, but someday-I'll tell you about all of my adventures out there." Adam said, bearing in mind that perhaps, not all of them would be age-appropriate._

 _"Really?" Ozma asked, his eyes hopeful. Adam smiled._

 _"Yes," He said. He looked at his phone and sighed. It was 2200 hours Remnant time._

 _"It's time for bed, son. C'mon, let's get back. I'm sure you're a bit cold." Adam said, helping his son up and then walking back to the house that he had bought with the money that Ozma's parents had left him._

 _This was before he had left Ozma when he was twenty-four... and this was before he left Ozma for approximately three-and-a-half-thousand years. Thanks to his employers', he was now capable of living many times the lifespan of normal human beings and then some. But, it had a price. It always had a price. And that price was steeped in blood and sweat._

Adam's fists tightened as a tear rolled down his cheek. His son had died in this hellish-alternate future. That was something he could describe it as: a nightmarish hell. There was no Empire... Salem was now some kind of villain, and she was sending assassins after a teenage girl with silver eyes for crying out loud! He gritted his teeth. His son, in this alternate hellish future was dead. _Dead!_ After all he went through, all the pain, the lies, the suffering, the chaos, the death: all for nothing!

He returned home to find his old enemies coming back to haunt him every month after a sort of rest, leaving his family pissed at him because he was trying to keep them and the world they lived on safe, and now- his siblings were in an alternate future... in which most likely he never set foot here as that scorpion faunus had claimed that Salem had never mentioned him. Not only that, but he suspected both his own son and daughter-in-law were lying to him back in his version of the past.

"Adam... what the hell happened to you, man? Ever since you fought that scorpion dude, you've been a bit weird." Michael said from a log next to him. Adam looked at his younger brother from under his hood

"That, and you're brooding like Qrow over alimonies and child support payments" Michael said, grinning. Qrow, whom was about to take a swig of his flask, stopped and glared at the younger brother. Ruby's eye twitched and she looked from Mike to her uncle Qrow. Jaune blinked in response and Nora and Ren were silent.

"Wow," Jaune said.

"That escalated real quick," He commented.

"Not funny, Mike. _Not funny_." Qrow said, emphasizing his feelings. He turned to his niece and then spoke softly."Ruby: that's not true. I drink because I've lived a hard-life... and after a hard-day's work. That's it." Qrow assured her, smiling.

"So, what's your tale, 'Jedi Master'?" Qrow asked, swirling his flask. Adam sighed.

"And take that stupid hood off! You're among friends!" Mike said, angrily. Adam took it off, revealing his somewhat aging face. His hair was long and wild now. His beard wasn't down to his chest, but still he felt old.

"I'm not saying anything, until you tell me what's going on, Mike? I didn't just come here not only to get the family back together: I made a bet with my daughter-in-law that I'd get back within a week and if I lose: I'm getting kicked out of her and my son's house," Adam said, deciding to go with nonchalantly revealing the truth. Mike laughed at first and then stopped. He blinked.

"Daughter-in-law?" He echoed, dipping his head.

"You have kids now?!" He shouted in shock.

"Mike, watch your emotions." Qrow and Adam warned him.

"My brother had a kid and he didn't even tell me?!" Mike said, standing up and putting his head in his hands.

"For frick's sake! What's next?!" The younger brother said, exasperated.

"You're an uncle! Congrats!" Ruby said, happily as she hugged him.

"Congratulations," Jaune said, not happy at all.

"Wonder if that makes Blake an 'Auntie'?" Nora wondered right as Ren put a hand on her mouth right as Mike glared at her.

"I have four grand-daughters... all under the age of ten." Adam said, bringing out a piece of parchment he kept with him. He unfolded it for the group to see. Everyone leaned in.

"This is what my youngest, Hannah, drew me," He said, happily. The parchment was yellow but it looked like it was drawn with crayons. The picture was that of six people. One of them being bigger than the others. All of them were pretty much stick figures with smiling faces. One was bigger than the others with the word 'Grandpa' over him.

"Why... is the 'Mommy' in black... with red eyes?" Qrow asked, weirded out.

"And why does the Dad have gray hair?" Ruby asked, looking closely.

"Aw! You've got a dog in your family too!" She said, cooing.

"The dog died," Adam responded, woefully. He remembered that big, oafish GSD-looking dog. Yes, he would poop on the rugs, but the girls all loved him, and he was the best dog in the Empire as he always licked the girls' faces when they were crying. Of course, Salem hated him, being more of a cat person.

The 'Snowy Sym Exorcism' incident came to mind as her last cat, 'Snowy' had clung to the ceiling that was about fifty feet high. Several, the cat's head turned unnaturally. After the last time, he got the family out of the Palace under false pretenses and then proceeded to try to exorcise the cat, fearing it was possessed, using a combination of liquid dust potions. What resulted was that the cat was now Remnant's first _hairless_ cat. Needless to say, Salem was not amused. But, the girls had a good laugh about it.

 _"NO!"_ Ruby exclaimed with tears in her eyes.

"Please tell me it isn't so!" She said. He sadly nodded.

"Yeah, Hans was a good boy." The ex-Jedi said, relishing every moment he and the family spent with that dog, his big body laying down right as little Hannah played around him, ever watchful and protecting like the Shepherd that he was. That, and he _always_ begged at the table. For that, he snuck pieces of vegetables and steak to the dog when Salem and Ozma weren't looking right as he lectured about not feeding the dog at the table. He was aware of the glaring hypocrisy then and now.

"However, enough about me and my family." Adam said.

"What's going on, Mike?" Adam asked. He took out a flask of some cold tea and drank.

"The guy who sent me said that you and Kat are facing a 'great evil'." He said.

"Mind telling me about this?" He asked, wondering if this world's Salem was this 'great evil'. He was still angry about what Tyrian had said to him... may God have mercy on his soul. He sighed as he regretted that hasty action. Tyrian must've suffered abuse as a child or growing up, he figured. No one was born that way. At least, none that he _knew_. Of course, old theology books he used to read and articles came to mind. He put those talks away for another day.

"Where do I begin?" Mike said, sighing.

"Some months ago, Beacon Academy, one of the four huntsman schools (think of them like this world's version of Jedi/bounty hunters, only they hunt Grimm and bad guys), fell to a terrorist attack." Mike said.

"Almost a year before, I stopped this guy, Roman Torchwick, from robbing a store, but he got away." Ruby explained as well.

"After that, Professor Ozpin," She paused at the name. Everyone was silent.

"Professor Ozpin let me into his school, two years early because I insisted."

"Me and Kat were there when she foiled the robbery, actually." Mike said, smiling.

"Of course, Kat said that we should watch." He added, sighing.

"After that, me and Kat got ourselves into Beacon ourselves. We were pretty much the only team that consisted of two: Team 'S'." He sighed.

"We called them Team 'Sin' sometimes!" Nora said, happily. Adam and Mike glared at Nora.

 _"That's not funny, Nora!"_ The two men shouted at her. Adam mentally scanned for any sign of Grimm... nope.

"What happened then?" Adam asked. He listened as his brother and Team QRNJR talked about what happened afterwards and a bit before.

It turned out that whatever happened to Ozma and Salem in _this_ world, along with what could happen in the future back home, had resulted in Ozma living life as a hermit and then giving a chunk of his power to four young woman, each given the title after each season and each a protector of the world, their successors were always female and they would all be able to unlock a magically-locked chamber underneath each school of the hunstman academies( established centuries to millennia later) which held the four Relics.

Of course, the Fall maiden, a girl named Amber, was half-killed after ambushed by Ozma's future murderer: Cinder, and two others: Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black. Of course, the name Black was a bit familiar.

"Is he a relative of Sirius Black?" Adam asked, thinking of someone he met.

"Nah, man." Mike answered, dismissively and then added."His old man, Marcus, was an assassin, took semblances of others." Mike explained.

"And how'd you learn that?" Adam asked. Mike grinned as he explained.

" _Genjutsu,_ " His younger brother explained. Adam smiled back.

"Then, I look forward to a sparring session between your jutsu and my force-powers." The older brother said, looking at him with interest.

"Do you have pictures of these three? Photos?" He asked, looking around.

"Sure," Ruby said, bringing out what he swore was something like an iphone. He took it from her respectively and she showed him several pictures of the infiltrators. Adam held his breath as he saw the one called Emerald. Her green hair had long bangs in the back, but her hair and that face as well as her eyes reminded him very strongly of...

"Hannah?" He whispered, confused. She looked like Hannah if she grew up to be a rebellious teenager in this day and age. Her smile looked happy but it was the eyes that told him the truth: she hated it there as she was in a school uniform in the picture with Ruby, her sister, a blonde named Yang, and their friends: Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee. Mercury Black was in the background looking bored as he looked at nothing and Cinder was next to Emerald. Her black hair, he had been told, was shorter now, having been cut and Ruby had taken her left eye after what she had witnessed.

Ruby had told her, sniffling, about what had happened at Beacon with Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Mike talking about what had occurred. Adam had listened with sadness as he heard of how Beacon had fallen from within. The infiltrators had, using a school dance as cover, put a virus in Beacon Tower, allowing them to control the matches for the Vytal Tournament, (Before that, a criminal named Roman Torchwick was put in prison aboard an Atlas ship that controlled the Atlesian paladins fielded for security at the festival) and then had a virus implanted into the central computer aboard the ship, making the Paladins go crazy after having Emerald, whose semblance was interpersonal mental hallucinations, stage Mercury faking a kick against Yang at the end of their match, which had Yang punch Merc and then the entire crowd reacted badly with Grimm later storming the school grounds as a result.

Paladins and Grimm slaughtered civilians. During the tournament, it turned out, Pyrrha had been selected to become one of the four maidens by Professor Ozpin.

"Maidens... what are they?" Adam asked, curious.

Qrow explained that Ozpin, a long time ago, had gotten the idea to give four young women (which gave Adam too much unease) special powers to protect the world and the relics. Now, each maiden was modeled after a season like Spring or Fall. Unfortunately, the previous Fall maiden, Amber, had been attacked. Pyrrha had been chosen to replace her would-be dying predecessor but then the attack happened. She had put Jaune into a pod during the chaos and fought Cinder. Meanwhile, Ruby boarded an Atlas ship and tried to take out Roman Torchwick, her arch nemesis, whom robbed a dust store that was part of a later plan to crash a train full of dust through the kingdom of Vale and start a Grimm invasion. Said plan ultimately failed, but the train did go through... which begged the question of the competence of this version of Remnant's modern intelligence services... or how crafty Salem had become over the millennia.

He couldn't believe that Salem would do something like planning an attack on a school for people that were essentially both adventurers and comparable to Tamriel's Fighter's Guild amongst others. Tears rolled down his face as Rub spoke of how after she had seen Torchwick get eaten by a Nevermore she had gone to the tower and saw the fight between Pyrrha and Cinder. Cinder had gotten through to Amber, the previous Fall Maiden, and killed her, stealing her power. Some time before, the Maiden had been attacked by Cinder's party and Qrow had intervened, but failed to save her completely as half or some part of her power had been drained.

According to Qrow, a Maiden's successor is always female. And when that maiden dies, the last female that is in her thoughts becomes her successor. Unfortunately, rather than Pyrrha, it was Cinder who became the Fall Maiden. Adam sighed, angrily. This Cinder Fall must be one of Salem's proteges... He had to wonder just how in the world Ozma didn't find a way to lock Salem up if she really was doing all this crazy and evil plots. Not only that... but why wasn't she banished by now? A lot of time passed. Surely, Ozma would've come up with a plan? Adam grunted as he rubbed his eyes as he remembered that Ozma was a little iffy on strategies. As a boy, he tended to charge in head-first or over-think things through which always ended up with dear old Dad saving his son's short head from being severed or worse.

Ruby told him of how she had seen Pyrrha Nikos, a combat prodigy die. And how it happened brougtht Adam's anger to a boil as he sensed that Jaune and Pyrrha were a couple even as he saw the facial expressions of Jaune as she spoke. He couldn't believe it. A classic tragic love-tale...

 _'Congratulations, Cinder. You are now officially on my list of people to go after.'_ He said, his rage starting to seethe. He then started to sense Grimm becoming attracted to his feelings of anger.

Ren looked around, startled as he sensed it too. He was about to say something when Adam raised a finger and with his other hand raised, he made a fist. Immediately, a multitude of yelps and screams was heard and the darkness that he felt was receded. Everyone looked around in shock at the yelps that were now silent.

"What... just happened?" Ruby asked, weirded out.

"What did you just do?" Qrow asked, looking around and then back at Adam. Mike looked around and then smiled at his brother.

"Simple: I used the Force." Adam explained, nonchalantly.

"Oh! Mike told us about that!" Nora said, happily.

"It's how Jedi get their powers!"

"Not necessarily," Adam said, raising a finger before going on a short lecture about the Force from a Jedi perspective.

"Huh, pretty interesting." Ren said, thinking.

"However, that's what the Order believes," Adam said and then shrugged as he then continued sheepishly.

"But, I'm technically a kind of 'Force-heretic' if you will as Kat, Mike, and I were raised in a certain faith and so I was kind of odds with the council over how things should be." He explained. Everyone looked at him and then Mike, whom nodded.

"I mean, we knew about the Force, but when you're raised in a faith like ours.." He gritted his teeth at this. "There's a chance that things can't really blend that well." Adam explained, shrugged.

"For instance: the Council thought that there should be no emotions at all. I told them that emotions are alright and of course, we need to keep some of them in check like say, lust or anger." Adam explained.

"Unfortunately, I can't always keep a lid on my anger, since y'know: all of us that remained of back home were transformed in that pool to channel our rage into what it could make us into:" Adam said with Mike finishing the explanation with a grim and serious expression.

"Monsters fighting other monsters,"

"Like that time with the dragon Grimm back in Beacon?" Ruby asked. Michael nodded. His older brother looked at him with curiosity.

"During the battle, a massive dragon appeared. So, I went kind of berserk after I saw so many people died and went to my other form. Then, I went ape on it." Mike said, smiling.

"I used every fire jutsu I knew to take it down. Of course, the Grimm kept coming."

"He tore them apart with his bare hands. And the dragon, after Ruby used her new Silver Eyes powers, turned it to stone."

"Which made me turn the dragon into a pile of dust afterwards," Michael said, leaning back with a grin as he put his arms behind his head.

"There's a lot worse than those, Mike." Qrow said, prophetically. At this, Mike nodded with a serious expression.

"Yeah,"

Adam scoffed. All of them turned to him.

"There are worse things than Grimm, Qrow. I'm telling you now." Adam said, pointing at him. He force-snatched Qrow's flask right as he was about to drink.

"By the way:" He began before water-falling its contents into his mouth. Qrow looked at him in shock. Mike snickered and shook his head as the ex-Jedi tossed the flask back.

"-ever brought down an entire moon onto the homeworld of a race of bugs rather than let a massacre led by incompetent generals that seriously never developed better weapons and fighting vehicles for its own military?" Adam asked, thinking of his involvement during the Bug-Human Wars. That incident had taken a great deal of energy. He had nearly died of exhaustion in it. He asked and then scoffed again as he pointed at that flask.

"Seriously? You call _that_ whiskey? I've drank worse." He commented. He sighed

"What else happened?"

Ruby explained that Blake had ran away during the battle to who knew where and Weiss had been taken back to her father. It turned out her family was very wealthy and had its hand in the mining of dust. Oddly, he remembered meeting a miner in the snowy northern continent named Martin Schnee. He wondered if they were related as the miner could use strange glyphs that looked like snowflakes.

"So, Cinder Fall is the current Fall Maiden... what of the relic?" Adam asked Ozma's operative. If Ozma had trusted Qrow, then he would as well. A friend of Ozma's was a friend of his... so long as he was sober and not drunk all the time.

"I don't know, actually. Ozpin said that he hid it a lot better than at the other schools." Qrow admitted, nodding. Adam frowned.

Everyone looked at the old ex-Jedi as he rubbed his chin. It sounded like this world's Ozma had been a bit smarter after whatever divorce happened in the past.

"We are headed to Mystral, yes?" He asked around. Everyone nodded.

"Whom can we trust there?" he asked as well.

"Leo Lionheart, he's the headmaster for Haven Academy. Oz trusted him and so I trust him as well." Qrow answered.

"However, can we trust you?" He said, his eyes squinting at the Jedi. Adam looked back.

"That remains to be seen," Adam answered for him as he looked up at the moon. He sighed. Someday, that moon would be whole.

"So, can we talk about the fact that I have not only a nephew, but a niece-in-law and grand-nieces? I'm tired of the depressing stuff, man!" Mike said.

"Yeah, so, what are they like?" Ruby asked, leaning forward. Adam looked back down. He then started telling them how he found and raised his son, their adventures, of course his first leaving his son and his going back.

"But, why'd you come back? They don't let you go back somewhere just for kicks." Mike said. Adam's smile fell into a frown as he glared at his brother. The dark memory of the man that bore his son's face still fresh in his mind after five years of so-called peace.

"Mike, I love you as a brother." He began.

"But, _never_ ," He said, emphasizing the word with a hiss.

"Ever ask me _that_ again." He said, harshly. Everyone looked at him.

"A bit touchy are we?" Qrow asked, leaning forward. Adam leaned forward as well.

"I keep some things close to my chest. Even from my own family. I have my reasons for that. _Good_ reasons, mind you." Adam told him. Qrow tilted his head as he eyed the Jedi suspiciously. Jaune and Ren also eyed him with suspicion. Nora looked at him warily and Mike looked at his own brother with unease. Ruby looked at him with a weird look.

"But bear in mind: I have faced evil as well. And it is never an easy task, which is why I am helping you all." Adam said. He looked down at his belt and saw that his knife was there. Perhaps, yet another oath was needed.


	46. Chapter 46: Adam's Alibi And Alcohol

Chapter 46

Tyler Doyle/Adam Sym sighed as he looked at his scarred palm as he sat in the living room of the Xiao-Long household. It had been so long since then, and yet: here he was: in the present, and yet once his past. It had been so long since he discovered the horrible truth of what his son and his daughter-in-law had done. And now: what remained of his family would help put it back together, whether anything liked it or not: God willing.

He looked back up at his audience: friends both new and old in another lifetime. All looked at him with interest.

"What's your story, Tyler?" Rebecca asked.

"I hate it when people keep secrets from me," She said, angrily.

"You've been holding out on us, Ty. Why?" Yi asked, angry as well. His fox-ears twitched. It made him snicker. The fox faunus was alright for a person with the characteristics of a cunning animal that in the old days, represented cunning and in certain cultures: demons. Of course, foxes too were of the world. He looked forward to seeing if the fox faunus would have kits of his own. Not only that, but he definitely reminded the old ex-Jedi of his brother. He had a special gift for him.

"A long time ago, there used to be a land as well as a town or rather, a city, called 'Armagh'." Tyler/Adam began, looking at them all. It was his cover, but with truth mixed in.

"It wasn't just an island, it was like its own continent: bogs, fields of green grass, forests that encompassed a great deal of the land, and more." Adam said, remembering his grandfather's stories of his own homeland. He had actually been there himself.

"In the old days, before it became much more civilized, rival tribes ruled the island, far from the others, having emigrated from the mainland."

"By the way, it's west of Atlas and north-west of Vale, if you want to know." Adam said. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, and Ren all took out their scrolls.

"I wouldn't recommend that, only those who remember can tell you its location, much less what happened." Adam said, dismissively. He wasn't sure if his bosses had even had the thought of making such an elaboration in real life.

"We were a proud people, coming from about thirty-six counties making up the island. County Tanith, where the Tanith First-and Only was from, was one of them." Adam lied. The real Tanith was an entire forest world with lakes and maybe an ocean. It had died during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade and the only survivors barely constituted as the first regiment that was supposed to have joined. In fact, there were supposed to have been three light recon regiments utilizing camo-cloak technology as the basis of their reconnaisance as well as certain techniques. Each Tanith soldier was equipped with a laser rifle or 'las-rifle' that was partially made of nalwood, the only wood that was found on Tanith before it had been burned by an orbital bombardment by Chaos forces.

Sadly, he had been there when it happened as he had been under a different name: an 'abhuman psyker' that was licensed and tested, but somehow resisted all the lures of Chaos. Of course, an undercover Inquisitor had been tailing him the whole period of that war. He faced constant 'racism' though in fact he was once human but then, like other survivors of his world, were subjected to a deal that lasted for who knew how long? He had been turned into his other form as part of the deal and his descendants would slowly turn into that form as well until a certain point in time.

He sympathized with the Ghosts as he himself was a survivor of his world. Of course, Gaunt had tried to blow his head off with that bolt pistol, Rawne tried to knife him when he defended Gaunt, Colm punched him in the face, Milo stayed away from him, Dorden called him a 'mutant freak of nature'... and everyone else tended to avoid him right until he started saving lives. Of course, he had shown little bits and pieces of his power... but then came Vervunhive. And when that happened, all bets were off.

As a result: Elijah Cuu was slaughtered by his hand before he could so much as lay a hand on Bragg, whom was grateful, and the entire Chaos army that besieged it from neighboring Ferrozoica was now rendered extinct. As time wore on, he lost a lot of friends: having lost Colm on Herodor, the Inquisition took Agun Soric as well. He had tried to save Caffran but failed and ended up helping raise his adopted children.

Adam's lowest moment was when he had gone on a rampage after seeing what he thought had been a harbinger, but it turned out to have been the trick of a Chaos sorcerer. Needless to say: no one in the entire province survived as he now could use the Force to reach across a vast distance and then force-crumple them to death with a gesture and his will. The moons of Klendathu had been, in his opinion, centuries to millennia after that. And that came as a great surprise to him as well.

One of his proudest moments was when he had been given his own camo-cloak by Mkoll and then proceeded to slaughter heretics with his lightsaber activated. The galaxy's first invisible Jedi. He had been there when the Sabbat Worlds crusade was finally won and a New Tanith had been established. Of course, his employers made him leave despite him wanting to stay and help fight against the upcoming Fourteenth Black Crusade.

"I was from the city that was pretty much its capital: Armagh, on the account of the holiest man ever known to us that wasn't God, came to us and established his seat of power there." Adam said, using his grandfather's old words. It almost felt like the old man, long dead, was speaking through him. Everyone listened. Of course, there were the lies. He was telling a cover story for himself that was of one of his ancestral homelands mixed in with lies! And it pained him on the inside to do so.

"There was a clan that tried to unite us all, proclaim themselves the High Kings. Of course, the land itself wasn't united having various clans and nobility and what have you. All of us, though, paid spiritual fealty to the Archbishop of Armagh.

"In our language, they were the 'Ui Neills'.. of course, the Vytalian version is 'O'Neils'." Adam explained.

"The O'Neils were divided into northern and southern branches, both fighting for supremacy of the country. Of course, not even the Archbishop could settle feud that went on for generations... right until the end of us all." Adam sighed at this. This was going to be a hard bit of truth. He looked down and rubbed his face.

"One day, things came to a bloody head: the skies went black over our land." he stated. They all looked at him as he spoke with sorrow.

"I was just a boy then," Adam admitted truthfully as he recalled it.

"My grandfather was in the hospital... Alzheimer's, you see." He said, the memory coming back. Tears started to swell, but he tried to fight them. Ren's face became sad.

"My Da was up at the Pentagon, that day." he said, not realizing he was breaking cover.

"And my Ma was over at another hospital. My brother and my sister were at school." He remembered that day well.

"The only person who saw him die was me," He said, softly as he remembered holding his Grandpa's hand tight as he died.

"Just then, the skies turned black right as his heart stopped," He added, remembering how the sky went from partially cloudy to black in seconds. He realized quickly what was going on and decided to alter his cover story a bit more.

"It turned out that at that exact moment: some folks up in Armagh weren't doing the right thing. In fact, they started doing a lot of wrong things." Adam explained.

"Black magic had been banned in our country for the longest time, after St. Padraigh himself banished it from our lands and those after him." He sighed angrily.

"Unfortunately, we had a huge scandal in our Faith: our priests and bishops weren't acting right at all. And that caused a massive apostasy, not to mention the amount of lives damaged."Adam said, drawing on from what he remembered all those years ago.

"So, when our island started to end: folks didn't believe it. Even as County Tanith was nuked by the forces of darkness." Adam said, the bad memory coming back as he smelled burning flesh and wood as well as rockcrete. People's screams filled his ears as he tried to get as many Guardsmen and civilians onboard as he could. He recalled seeing Gaunt help carry a young boy out of the fires of the city of Tanith Magna. His eyes sad and his face full of soot. Both of their clothes were singed.

He remembered looking up at the sky wondering why in God's name would such evil people bombard a world full of innocents? Why did they have to kill off almost an entire race of human beings, condemning their survivors to a life of hatred. If the tables were turned, he'd kill every last Chaos Space Marine, sorcerer, mutant, hell even the so-called false gods themselves if he could!

Adam looked up, remembering that he was around kids. They all gave him looks of sorrow.

"The guys that started it all?" Adam scoffed. He was getting into speculation and lies here about this bit.

"It turned out they made a deal with some kind of entity, a devil, maybe." Adam shrugged.

"None of us knew. What we did know was that it turned normal, healthy, rational people into black-eyed monsters that tore and clawed others to shreds, even going so far as to use weapons like normal people can, but did so in very..." He paused to say the right word.

"Odd ways," He said, not wanting to go into graphic detail. Blake, Yang, Qrow and Taiyang frowned at this and looked at the others, making a note not to have anyone be encouraged to know more.

"We lost contact with other parts of the country within days," He said, waving his hands.

"I was up north, so I was part of a resistance movement, a partisan group that hid in the sewers behind enemy lines." He said.

"Back then, the mist was so thick that even if you shined a torch in there, you wouldn't have seen squat." Adam said.

"I did the usual: bombed enemy patrols when we knew they were around, tried to take out what appeared to be high-ranking leaders. You could tell by seeing them gesture with their hands, but their mouths didn't make any words that any of us knew. And even then, it sounded like those chaotic bastards!" Adam spat in anger. He had long ago done away with fearing Chaos. In fact: he hated them. Every last one of them. Those bastards had raped entire sectors and species worth of people.

"About a year into the war: I found myself seeing some odd things happening:" Adam continued.

"For instance, we started seeing less and less runners. Usually it was about ten of them every week from in and out of Armagh. Back then, the bastards had the city locked up tight with hordes of harbingers (we also called them 'harbies' roaming around. We got very little information about the rest of the country. We knew that Tanith had been nuked, but what we _didn't_ know that the Southern provinces had established a somewhat stable defense line. They sent in guys like the Tanith-First-and-Only behind enemy lines as a sort of special operations unit. Only, the First-And-Only was an entire regiment of guys... all from the backwoods county of Tanith." Adam said.

"The rumor was that Tanith county was a bit touched by evil, but the locals there were nice enough. The forests were so dense and large, a foreigner would get lost. But, if you were born there, you had a great sense of direction." Adam said.

"I spent about a summer there once and it was very awesome to see. I remember thinking that there was literally no way you could come out of there alive.. but people did." Adam said, smiling. He remembered being in a few training exercises with the First, back when they were mustered. This was when he had been assigned to Gaunt as a 'Sanctioned Psyker'. This was also when no one really knew whom he was... or rather, _what_ he was.

"The First-And-Only, or 'Gaunt's Ghosts' as they called themselves, were a great bunch to fight alongside."

"Their leader, Ibram Gaunt, was a genius when it came to tactics and he was one of the best men I ever served under." Adam said, with pride. Gaunt had ended up becoming Warmaster himself. He remembered Gaunt as he got older but still was largely the same, despite the Crusade.

"He made sure his unit got out of Tanith so that at least a remnant of it survived and fought on. A lot like how it happened for the rest of us." Adam said the last part sadly.

"Of course,the situation in Armagh got too hot and the sane ones who were left pulled out and held off the enemy down south." He lied.

"In the end, we had no choice but to leave... but not without making sure whatever happened to _us_ , didn't happen to all of _you_." Adam said, leaning forward. Qrow frowned.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah," Qrow said, looking at him.

"You ever notice how the skies of this world aren't black? Or there aren't more than one black-eyed freak running around, save that witch Salem? Guess who made sure that never happened? Go on. Guess." Adam said, leaning back.

"I guarantee that you'll be thanking us for generations to come." Adam said angrily.

"We had to nuke our own island to make sure that none of them would ever come over the seas and overrun this planet."

Blake's face paled as did they all.

"Very few of us made it out... and I was one of them." Adam said, leaning forward.

"Out of ten million people, guess how many escaped the Great Fire of Armagh? No one knows." Adam told them all.

"I haven't so much as laid eyes on another Armaghian in about five years now." Adam lied. He kept tabs with his brother, sister, his good friend Oros, and of course, both of their respective families.

"Some nights I can still see those damned things in the dark, though they're all long-dead." Adam said, leaning forward, remembering the flashback in which he mistook Salem for a harbinger, shooting her. He remembered feeling horrified at what he did.

"That's why you like to sleep with the night light on," Yi said, mentioning a very odd habit that 'Tyler' had. Adam laughed.

"Yeah," Adam said.

"You must've been just a kid back then," Taiyang told him.

"Younger than you know," Adam retorted. Qrow frowned.

"How come we never heard of 'Armagh' before? We would've heard it from say- I don't know- Oz?" Qrow said, skeptically. Adam smiled. There were things not even Oz knew.

"We were a reclusive bunch, figured the rest of the other kingdoms were nothing more than barbarians that wanted nothing more than to bicker and squabble with each other. That, and the last time invaders came, we wound up getting oppressed for _eight hundred years._ " Adam said, emphasizing the time. Blake frowned.

"Faunus have been subjugated and oppressed far longer than that," Blake told him, crossing her arms. Adam scoffed. Memories of so many peoples came to mind. If Blake only knew...

"Hear hear," Yi added. He wanted to mutter 'Feth's sake, Yi!'.

"Well, that's an interesting tale you're telling us. But is any of that true?" Qrow asked, crossing his arms.

"All of us are finding out a lot of info within the span of about two or three weeks now and Art found out that his family's been coming to Remnant since then." Qrow said.

"Qrow," Adam sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Alright: do you know why I came into this school?" He asked.

"It's so that I can help my people out if there are any left, alright?" Adam said.

"I mean- we lost our home, our families, what else can we lose besides that? Hell, I don't even know if there's a priest of our religion left anymore, much less a bishop!" Adam scoffed.

"Do you know how long my list of sins to confess is?! It goes from this house all the way to fricking Atlas! That's how far it is!" Adam said, gesturing out the window.

"Yo, what'd you do? Kill someone?" Yi asked. Everyone glared at him. Yang smacked the back of the faunus's head.

"Gah!" He exclaimed, leaning forward as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Just be thankful that you're all sane and alive as opposed to be black-eyed monsters," Adam warned.

"Trust me: it's people like me _and_ Art that you want to keep you safe." He said, remembering how Artyr had pressed him against the wall as he threatened him. That day, he had been testing Art. He talked like a soldier more than a Jedi. He didn't act without emotion. That, and he was willing to bet he had the family tradition of tattooing himself to remember the dead.

"That's what Art said the day after-"

"Yeah, we know." Adam said, taking a sip of cola that Yang had given to him as he told his story.

"Now, then. Enough about me and Art. We know a bit of what's going to happen. So, what are we going to do when that time comes?" Adam asked, looking around.

There was much thinking.

"Well, we could be on the lookout for anyone suspicious... people who don't fit in well."

"In my experience: attacks like the one on Beacon are caused on the inside... so either there's a traitor amongst us or there's an infiltrator. And I highly doubt any of _you_ are a traitor." Adam said, making a sweeping gesture. Taiyang and Qrow eyed him suspiciously. Obviously, they would make a mental note to call Ozpin or keep tabs on him. Blake and Rebecca eyed him as well. At this, he just realized he may or may not have blown his triple-layered cover. For Feth's sake... with a bottle of fireball whiskey and Russian Vodka mixed in as well!

"I mean that it's probably going to be folks from other schools. Besides, it'd take months to years just to blend in with this school. I mean: Look at Art! He's a bloody Jedi and it took him two months to learn Vytalian!" He said, raising his arm.

"Oh, so folks from Haven over in Mystral are going to come in like no tomorrow and blow up the tower?" Yi said, sarcastically. Adam glared at him. _That fething idiot-fox._

"Someone deck him!" He said, pointing at the fox.

"You jinxed us all, Yi!" Rebecca barked at the fox as Yang clouted the fox faunus behind the ears.

"Congrats! You just foreshadowed our future, you idiot!" Blake yelled at Yi.

"What's next?! Ninja infiltrators from Vacuo?!" Nora roared in anger.

At this, Pyrrha rolled her eyes.

"Vacuo doesn't have 'ninjas', but they're known for their guerilla warfare as their land is now more of a desert thanks to industrialization." Blake told Nora.

"And Atlas is a floating island," Pyrrha said as well, putting in her two cents.

"But, it's also the most powerful military on the planet," Weiss added to Yi.

"And the problem with Vale is that the Kingdom's security is kind of lax, in my opinion. I mean: all of your fancy councils are led by oligarchs, fething oligarchs! Where I came from it was a representative constitutional republic!" Adam said, pointing at all of them.

"Now, granted: our politicians can be notoriously corrupt like the oligarchs here, but at the very least: our politicians get ousted as soon as scandal erupts!" He said, glaring at Weiss. Weiss's face turned red.

"How da-"

"Weiss: Shut up." Blake told her.

"Excuse me?!" Weiss said, standing up. Blake was about to rise when Taiyang's fury was heard.

 _"No fighting in my house!"_ Taiyang yelled at the two women.

"Y'know what?" Adam said, raising his hands in surrender.

"Let's wait for Artyr to get back and then we can talk with him about this. That, and we have some months of training to look forward to." Adam said. At this, everyone save Ren, Pyrrha, and Blake groaned.

"Don't remind me!" Yang groaned. Qrow looked at Adam.

"Well, why don't you show me some of your moves, Tyler?" Qrow asked.

"Oh?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you're a soldier, right? That and you're learning some fancy moves, I've heard." Qrow said, crossing his arms.

"Form one," Adam lied. He knew all six. He never did learn the seventh, sadly.

"Well, what say we test your skills out, 'old-timer'." Qrow said. Adam pointed at him.

"That's something you'll never be if you keep drinking till you die of cirrhosis." Adam warned.

"Which reminds me," He said, producing a picture and then showing it to Qrow.

"YO! WHAT THE FRICK!" Yi said, looking away.

"GROSS! GROSS! GROSS!" Yang yelled, closing her eyes.

"My eyes!" Ruby yelled, covering her eyes.

"Did you have to show that around the other kids?!" Qrow yelled, angrily at him while trying to look away from the photo of the hardened liver of a man that died.

 _'Friends don't let friends die of alcohol,'_ Adam thought as he smiled.

"By the way," Adam said.

"We'll take that offer of testing your skills."

"'We'?" Qrow asked.

"Oh for frick's sake." Rebecca muttered, her ears drooping.


	47. Chapter 47: Back To Your Roots

Chapter 47

 ** _(A/N: Hey, everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates! I know you've all been waiting awhile. So, I've decided to cut this chapter short. I wondered how to go about this: With Art and Oz landing at Beacon at night with Glynda meeting another of her long-lost sons... or something else? Hope you like the update!_**

 ** _Also: Thank you all for the support! Thank you for encouraging and constructive comments! To both old and new followers and favorites: Thank you so much!)_**

The long trip back to Vale was long and quite frankly tiring as hell. The uncle and nephew had been traveling for almost eleven hours with both of them alert for any Grimm on the scanners. They had been mostly silent. Toph slept in the ship's quarters.

"So, Aunt Salem..." Artyr began to say. Uncle Oz sighed at this and rubbed his eyes. He clearly hated talking about this. "Does Mom know?" He asked. Ozpin bit his lip and kept rubbing his eyes. Artyr sat up straight in his chair, the moon-lit night reflecting off of his gray armor. He looked at his Uncle in horror and shock.

"You didn't tell her?!" Artyr exclaimed exasperated. Ozpin shushed him.

"Your brother is sleeping!" Uncle Oz hissed. Artyr started to open his mouth and sighed, rubbing his own eyes as well.

"I can't believe this bantha-shit." He said aloud, shaking his head.

"When I was a kid, I wanted to be a Jedi, but after Master Bell died, I wound up being a soldier." Artyr started to say. He looked down at the ground as the engines hummed under his feet. "Sometimes, I wonder what Master Bell would say at a time like this or Master Almira."

"You never really talk about them... your masters." Oz said. "You talked about them, briefly if I might add." he continued. "Did you talk about them to your friends?" He asked.

"Well, I told them all about what I did and the crimes the Jedi committed." Artyr answered and then frowned as he wondered. "Crap, did I tell you and Mom about Ahsoka?" He asked aloud. Ozpin turned his head with his eyes wide open.

"I'm sorry, can you please repeat that?" His uncle said, leaning forward to hear better.

"Oh, crap." Artyr realized, blinking while he spoke. "I didn't tell you about her,"

"Artyr... did you cheat on Lira? Or are you cheating on _this_ girl?" Ozpin asked, using his hands to emphasize the point.

"Actually," Artyr said, matter-of-fact "She's my adopted sister and a Togruta to boot." Artyr explained. Ozpin blinked.

"H-How?" The soul-hopping immortal asked, trying to understand it all. The former Jedi sighed as a result.

"Okay, so, back when I was a youngling, I took in a much younger youngling and started calling her my sister because the others were giving her a hard-time. We've been close since then and she sees Plo-Koon as an Uncle." Artyr explained.

"Huh,"Ozpin commented. "We haven't had any Togruta in the family to my knowledge, but I'm pretty sure you have Twi'lek as I said before." Artyr's eye twitched and he shuddered in response. Ozpin frowned, making note to ask about it later.

"Anyway: go on." Ozpin told him.

"I've looked out for her if I could or tried to delegate others to that position."

"Ah, being the 'overprotective brother' I see?"

"I keep harping her on her wardrobe," Artyr confessed. Ozpin blinked.

"She likes to wear tops that expose her midriffs. I've been trying to get her to stop that as I don't want anyone getting ideas." Artyr explained.

"And yet, you are dating a teenage Kaminoan," Uncle Oz pointed out. Artyr fumed at this.

"Okay, one: Lira and I tried to keep it a secret. Two: we never did that kind of crap, only kissing. Only. Three: Lira doesn't wear tops that reveal her navel because her people frown on that kind of crap." Artyr lectured as he counted with his fingers."Besides: I don't think you'd want your daughters-" Artyr started to say and then stopped himself. He paused and looked down. Ozpin sighed at this.

"My daughters are long past such things, nephew. They're dead." Ozpin said the last part with sadness. They sat in silence for a few minutes as Ozpin silently grieved. His face fell.

"Y'know, had Aunt Salem not done what she did... I think our whole family would be living on this planet by now... at the same time." Artyr hypothesized, looking outside. Ozpin put a hand on his nephew's shoulder.

"Maybe, maybe not. You never know how things go like that. Besides, I've lived long enough to know the human condition well enough to realize that not everything goes right. And not everyone turns out like we want them to." The soul-hopping immortal sighed.

"Out of curiosity, do you have a holo of her?"

"I always keep it on me," The ex-Jedi said in response and took out his holoprojector. Immediately, an image appeared showing a younger version of himself with his braid on next to a younger Ahsoka. Both of them smiled as... he blinked as he saw the image of an alien male he hadn't seen in three years. A man long dead in the Arena of Geonosis.

"Are you alright?" Ozpin asked, worried. Artyr looked up at him and nodded.

"Y-Yeah," He said, biting his lip as he looked at the firm and paternal gaze of Master Bellophoron. His blue alien head looked down at himself and Ahsoka as he looked up at his master.

"That's him, isn't it? Your old master?" Ozpin asked, softly. There was a long period of silence before he responded.

"Yeah," Artyr said, nodding.

"And I take it that's your sister?" His uncle asked, pointing at the Togruta.

"That's Ahsoka," the nephew affirmed, nodding as well. He sighed as he looked at Ahsoka. How was she doing now? Where was she? Did she even remember him? Would she? Or was she going to become cold and bitter? That, and was he ever going to see her again in this life? He rubbed his eyes. Maybe not.

XXXX

The LAAT gunship soared through sky, one amongst many. Another day in the Clone Wars, she figured. She held on to a handle connected to a bar overhead. She was surrounded by a squad of Clone Troopers as well as her master, Anakin. She had a very moody expression hidden underneath her helmet. No one knew it, but obviously, her master sensed it. A lot of things had changed since Artyr was gone. She no longer wore anything that exposed her mid-riff or a miniskirt. Instead, she wore armor... modified Clone Commando armor for her stature. She had gotten looks her way, but who cared? It was a way to remember her fallen brother.

"You okay, Ahsoka?" Sky-guy asked.

"Fine," She stated flatly. Rex looked at Anakin, his expression also hidden under his helmet. It had a Mandalorian symbol around his T-shaped visor that looked like an 'M' with accents over the edges of the 'T' of the T-shaped visor

"Ten seconds to the LZ!" The pilot's voice crackled over the speakers. Ahsoka took a deep breath and checked herself. Her head-tails weren't secure, but who cared? They were in a breathable atmosphere, so far as she knew. Artyr had jumped in mid-flight, hadn't he?

"Get ready!" Anakin said on the com-channel for the 501st Legion. Of course, his preferred unit in said Legion was Torrent Company, led by Captain Rex. Rex also functioned as Skyguy's second-in-command. She gripped her rung tightly as she took a deep breaths. She always had the jitters before a drop. Then again, it came with fighting in a war.

Just then, on the COM channel she heard Admiral Yularen's voice.

"All wings, this is Admiral Yularen: we have some form of sensor contacts: fighter escorts are on the way now. I say again: unknown sensor contacts are en-route to your location: Be advised: disperse when engaged. Yularen out." The aging naval officer said.

"Yularen, Skywalker: Separatist fighters?" Skyguy said into his com-link.

"We're not even sure what we're looking at," Yularen said with hesitation. Ahsoka could feel something in the force: a black, soulless, swarm of nothingness... almost as if there was a hole in the Force. Her helmet hid her feelings. Just like her brother's back when he was still around.

She gripped her rung even tighter. Anakin looked outside, determined to face whatever it was.

"All squadrons: evade! Repeat: Disperse and Evade any and all incoming enemy contacts!" He ordered into his com-link. A chorus of affirmations echoed on the channel.

"Everyone: Bantha: Have eyes on the contacts! Twelve-o-clock high!" A pilot's voice said. All Clones sounded alike, but if one could listen very closely, you could tell whom said what. Sometimes, it would be certain accents that were picked up, though they all had the exact same accent since they were cloned from Jango Fett. Funny, one would think they were all going to be bounty hunters because of what he did back when he still lived. That, or be a sort-of new Mandalorian army. They actually kind of were, given their ancestry.

A loud cacophony of voices cried out in horror.

"I see them!"

"What the hell are those?!"

"ARE THOSE BIRDS?!"

"Will all of you just shut the hell up and avoid the damn things?!" An older clone's voice barked. She recognized the voice as that of Chief Warrant Officer Hawk

"OH FIERFEK! THEY'RE DIVE-BOMBING US!"

"FOR FEK'S SAKE, ARROW: SHUT THE-" Hawk's voice was interrupted by a loud 'squaking' that sounded less like a bird and more like a monster. She felt the gunship lurch and heard laser pods outside fire along with missile launches. She nearly lost her grip because of how hard the LAAT pilot was turning.

"Is it really birds attacking us or is it droid fighters?!" Anakin barked into the Com-link. A loud chorus of shouts, screams and squaks answered him. He looked outside as the gunship started making drastic lurches as it sped through the air, all power to the air.

"This is Skywalker: WHAT'S GOING ON?!" He angrily shouted. Just then, the hatch right next to him was broken like a can opener going into a can of beans. A huge bird head looked inside as the gunship now started being swung like a flail. Ahsoka hung on for dear life as she looked at it in horror. The thing had some kind of white mask over its face, almost as if it was part of it. Its eyes glowed a hellish-red aura as it squaked. Its massive black beak then took a hapless trooper and gulped it down before his scream was complete. A chorus of blaster fire killed their brother's devourer before Anakin could bring out his lightsaber Outside, other gunships had similar trouble, it seemed. Ahsoka saw a glimpse of a swarm of black

"Everyone out! NOW!" Captain Rex roared before Anakin could give the order. This had been part of the plan. Well, actually: she had kind-of given her two cents to it.

The plan had been to land on the planet's surface the usual way: guns blazing with LAATs coming in and AT-TEs being dropped in. Fighter support would've been great if the airspace wasn't contested. For the first minute, it hadn't been like that. Now, it apparently was. She didn't remember the briefing saying anything about hostile-sapient-eating fauna on this planet. The contingency had been something that she actually took from her brother a while back.

As the LAAT spun while falling through the air, Ahsoka found herself hanging on for dear life. She sensed someone pulling her through the Force. The next thing she knew, she was falling through the air. Hundreds of LAAT gunships fell around her, swarmed by black-winged alien birds. She could feel the anger from these things, some kind of diabolical and methodical choosing, but no hunger. That, and she could tell they were definitely some kind of dark-side experimentation. One more reason Count Dooku should just keel over and die already, the old bastard!

She looked up to hear a loud monstrous 'squak' and saw something black coming towards her. She activated her lightsabers instantly and swung right as its beak was about to engulf her, the sabers cutting through its flesh like a hot knife through butter. She closed her eyes throughout it, though. She definitely didn't want to see its insides. Being eaten alive was a terrible way to go.

"Skywalker, any and all call-signs: Use your jetpacks to cushion your fall! Kill any of those things that come at you!" Skyguy said on an open frequency.

As she fell, she couldn't help but think of what Artyr would've done at a time like this. For as long as she had been a Jedi, he had always been there, looking out for her. Of course, he usually came across as opinionated and belligerent due to the war and the fact that he had lost his first master. She remembered him a bit. Bellophoron had been a good knight, but he had rushed in to take out Dooku, earning him an early grave. Artyr hadn't come back until more than six months' later. Of course, he had sent messages. For some reason, he had been attached to a Republic Commando squad, his first unit. She had found it odd and strange on why that happened. Now, she knew why along with some other things. It was why she started wearing armor herself.

She sped towards the ground like a bullet, waiting until she could start using her pack. She had some practice with Skyguy on some missions.

 _XXX_

"Hey, Echo?" Someone asked as the clones fell.

"Yeah?" Echo responded to Fives. He looked around for him as they all fell. Some of his brothers got picked by those bird-things, others were dead in the LAATs, and those that jumped out in time were all falling to either become a pancake, devoured, possibly die in battle, or live to fight another day.

"WHOSE BRIGHT IDEA WAS IT FOR NOT SENDING FIGHTERS TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE DAMN THINGS BEFORE WE GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!" Fives roared in anger at no one in particular on a private channel they shared. Echo laughed at this. He looked over to see a few more of those things come at him as they all fell towards the world below.

He produced a pistol and tried to aim as best as he could. He fired thrice. Two missed it by a mile as it sped towards him. The last shot hit it in the forehead, sending it barreling down. Others fired as they fell, either killing or missing their hunters.

"By the time we land, there's not going to be much of a 'legion' left!" Fives said to him over the sound of rushing air.

"That's how it usually is after a battle!"

"Remind me to tell you about the first time when Commander Sym took command of my old battalion!" A familiar accent said on the previously-private channel. He looked around in anger. How'd that prick get onto this channel?! Just then, something zoomed past him like a hawk. He looked down to see a Clone in blue armor fall farther and faster than several others. Almost as if he had a death-wish.

"Echo! Fives! Anyone near me!" King's voice said on his channel. "Rally on me!"

XXX

For Rex, this was just another strange day in the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). He sped towards the ground alongside his superior, General Skywalker as they fell towards the world below them. There were other units besides their 501st, thankfully. Like, the 506th Air Assault Regiment, the 234th Assault Division, and others. Of course, there were a handful of Jedi... and strangely a former one: Master Almira.

She suddenly showed up right before launch. Skywalker had talked to her about something, he didn't know. Of course, Almira went on another dropship as her old battalion was dropping in as well: the 431st Mechanized Infantry Regiment. Artyr Sym had commanded its Iron-head battalion before his last mission.

"I love jumping out of buildings and LAATs when it suits me as much as the next guy. But, this is a new even for me." Rex told his superior, slightly worried as he fired his twin blaster pistols.

"Aw, come on Rex! I've faced a lot worse than this!" Skywalker happily said as he crushed a white-masked bird-thing with the Force. It crumpled with a small 'squak' before it fell.

"If I may speak freely sir?" Rex asked as he fired at one of the gigantic bird-things with masks on them. Something straight out of a horror vid, if anyone asked him.

"Go ahead," Anakin said. They had a ways to go as they fell.

"Like what?" Rex asked, curiously.

"Gundarks, for one!" Anakin answered. "Fell into a nest of them before I went on a bodyguard mission right before the war!" The Jedi said. "Obi-wan still teases me about it to this day!"

"Let's hope we don't fall into a nest of 'em, then!" Rex said, smiling while they fell.

"Yeah, I'd hate a repeat of that." He swore he heard Skywalker say with a grumpy tone. Of course, he'd never admit it in public. The guy was his commanding officer, for Force's sake.

XXX

They landed either hard or cushioned their fall with the jetpacks. She landed with her jetpack cushioning her fall on a rocky ridge, looking over a vast area for miles around.

"This is Tano! I'm on the ground now near..." She paused, looking around for a reference... a landmark, something. She saw it in the distance. A structure that was built into the face of a cliff with a massive forest in front of it. She could see it clear as day despite the plants growing all over it. Streams went through the forest. She took a breath as she saw how beautiful it was. This was... quite frankly... awesome. She looked around as she blinked. So, this was it.

"Ahsoka! Where are you?" Skyguy's voice asked, somewhat concerned. He was still falling. She shook her head.

"I think..." She said, looking at the structure in the distance... a bit below her by about ten or twenty miles. There were crumbling remains of statues here and there, but the lightsabers could still be seen in addition to what remained of a village and a still desolate landscape.

"I think I'm near the first Jedi Temple," Ahsoka announced, thinking. More troopers landed around her, securing the area. She heard roars in the distance while she felt a hungry and empty presence in the Force. Something wicked this way came. She turned around and ignited her lightsabers as clones turned to face the threat with more of them arriving.

"Welcome to Tython," She muttered as she charged at the foe that dared to make the Jedi homeworld its abode.


	48. Chapter 48: The Rawne Cover

Chapter 48

 _(A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates! Been really busy! Also: I have an idea in mind for how the story ends and the overall plotline with some prequels in mind. Note:Please give your support whether it be thoughts and prayers or otherwise to Australia and the Phillipines as both are suffering from their respective disasters: a raging wildfire and a volcano recently erupted in the Phillipines. On the matter of the recently-expanding Coronavirus: wash your hands constantly and wear a surgical mask if you are sick. Get your medical check-ups as soon as you can. That is my recommendation._

 _Also: the reason why I haven't been posting as much is that my old computer got busted, got a new one and I have started a new job as a housekeeper. Been working hard to make that money to pay the bills so I can give you all your favorite stories! Stay safe out there and have a good one!)_

Emerald Sustrai waited at the warehouse as usual. Torchwick was working on a plan to deal with that alien-knight-freak from outer space, as was Mercury whom was looking up combat videos against folks with swords. She hadn't heard back from Cinder in awhile now, which was very odd. She shuddered at the thought of Salem killing her. By all accounts, Cinder had worked for Salem for a long time now, though she was about seventeen or eighteen. Perhaps a little older. In fact, she had been the one that got her off the streets. As for Mercury, well-the first time they had met, Mercury had just killed his own piece-of-shit father.

As for Elim Rawne/Tyler Doyle/ whatever he called himself... he was a mystery... but also... she paused as she thought about it. She couldn't figure out the connection, but she swore that she met Elim before that incident with Cinder and herself. It was like... she knew him from someplace else. That, and the way he always made sure that she cared for... it was like he treated her like his own daughter or granddaughter. He never spoke about any family save the one that he lost before his homeland fell, not a place that she ever heard of before.

She loved hearing his stories like the next guy or gal, but sometimes they just seemed too crazy to be true or just... off somehow, like he wasn't telling everything. Like, that one time where he talked about how he killed an entire colony of giant spider grimm by himself... by crashing a large boulder into its hive, destroying it. It seemed ridiculous... but also off, like he wasn't telling the whole thing.

The former street urchin put a finger on her chin. His eyes were bluish-green... like that Artyr Sym guy if she had to go by Torchwick's description. That, and Tyler was _old_... _really_ old. He was young compared to Salem, but... she couldn't help but feel that he was older than he looked or acted.

She sighed as she waited for him. She texted him again.

 _E: Where the hell are you, old man?!_ She paused, looking up after sending the text and grinned. Well... he _was_ pretending to be a student at Beacon. She giggled as she sent another text and tried to stifle a laugh. Neo suddenly appeared from the shadows. After a brief wave, Neo walked up with a questioning look. The thief showed her the text which made her actually burst out laughing... silently. As if she had no volume other than mute.

XXX

Tyler Doyle/Elim Rawne/Adam Sym blocked a strike from Qrow Branwen with his tree branch. "Nice swing, old man." Adam said, grinning as he held the branch not too tight like a saber's hilt. Qrow grinned back. "Not bad yourself, kid." Qrow said before turning around and trying to hit Tyler in the opposite direction. The ex-Jedi was about to duck and strike the old drunkard when his scroll rang. He grunted and was about to block when he felt the branch hit his face at full force. The branch's top half splintered on impact with Qrow grunting as he clutched his arm, still holding the now-broken branch.

"Son of a-!" Tyler roared in anger as he fell to the side, clutching his face.

"Oh my Gods!" Taiyang shouted, standing up straight from where he was leaning.

Ruby put a hand over her mouth as did Pyrrha. Blake frowned, sniffing the air as Weiss's jaw went agape. Rebecca looked at Tyler with a thought. Yi's eyes widened as he stood up, his ears pulling back in fear. Li Ren sighed. "That would be why you should have your scroll off during a fight," He commented.

"That'll leave a mark," Yang commented, grimacing. "Yeah," Nora nodded, also grimacing as Tyler rubbed his face. Lira looked at Tyler in interest, noting something about his face along with the tree branch. She bit a finger as she thought about it. "Rule of thumb: don't ever fight me." Qrow sighed, tossing his branch into the forest. Tyler rubbed his face. "Point taken," The one-time Jedi commented. Qrow extended a hand. He took it, bringing himself up.

"Those were some nice moves, by the way." Tyler said. "Did Artyr's Da teach you how to fight like that?" The young man from Armagh asked, rubbing his cheek. Taiyang ran over.

"You okay?" He asked, worried. He tried to look at it only for Tyler to avoid him while covering said cheek.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Tyler said, waving dismissively while covering his cheek.

"It didn't look like your aura activated," Taiyang said, worried as well as suspicious. "I don't need an aura, old man." Tyler snapped with anger in his eyes. He walked away, cursing. _"Jeanie-fecking-Mac!"_ His classmates moved out of his way. Ruby looked at her uncle and father in confusion. Lira looked at the house and whispered to Rebecca. "Did you notice the branch?" She asked.

"Yeah," Li said for them both. "It broke in two," He whispered. After Tyler had gone inside, Qrow rubbed his arm, trying to hide the pain he had.

"You okay, Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked, looking at it. "I'm fine, Petal." Qrow said, smiling to hide his pain while he clutched his arm.

"C'mon, let's get you inside so we can look at it." Taiyang said, ushering Qrow inside while he clutched his arm. "Need a drink for it too?" He jokingly asked. "Unless that bastard drank all of the Thunderskull, I'll take one." Qrow jokingly asked.

"After what happened: he's not allowed in my house ever again." Taiyang muttered so softly almost no one could hear

XXX

Tyler Doyle/Adam Sym/ Elim Rawne sighed as he slumped onto the toilet in the guest bathroom. He produced his scroll and looked down with anger.

'Dammit, Emerald! I'm too old for this surprise bullshite!' He looked at the text.

 _E: Where are you?_

 _You dating that dark doctor? :)_

He had to try not to laugh out loud at this, his anger dissipating before he texted back.

 _No, I was sparring with an old friend of ours. He's good, but that text of yours earlier costed me the match! That, and my cover may or may not be blown. Can't be sure. May have to use certain means to make sure it stays covered._

He waited for a response and then got one.

 _E: Who?_

 _'Dusty old crow'_ , he texted back. There was silence.

 _E : What are you going to do?_

He smiled as he texted back.

 _'What I've always done: Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome. By the way: mind if you and Sirius Black tag along for an outing? Going out to eat tonight when we get back. I'll buy.'_ He told her.

 _E: Sirius Black? Really?_

 _He smirked before typing back. 'Someone my sister ranted and raved about a long time ago. Besides, they both have the same last name. Could be distant cousins for all I know.'_

 _E: This is Merc: Not funny, old man!_ He chuckled at this.

XXX

Outside in the dining room, Blake sipped her tea while her bow suddenly twitched against the wind, as did Rebecca's rabbit ears and Yi's fox ears. The two publicly-known faunus looked at eachother while their human friends spoke in concerned whispers about what was going on. Blake was with Yi and Rebecca as a sort of conspiracy. They eyed eachother with understanding. Something was off with Tyler. They had been listening in, discerning sounds. An old man's chuckle had come from somewhere and it definitely wasn't Taiyang or Qrow.

"Lying sack of shit," Yi muttered, sipping a soda.

"Remind me to get my Grandma's lightsaber when we get back. I'm going to use it burn his ass." Rebecca told him in a whisper.


	49. Chapter 49: Yet Another Hostile Takeover

Chapter 49

 _(A/N: For the yelling bit that is in **bold italics** : imagine John DiMaggio yelling times ten or twenty in terms of volume and tone. Also: bear in mind: this is just an Alternate Universe Cross-Over. I planned on making this much longer, but time and the real world, you know?)_

He waited at the usual location for her: a rocker bar down in Mantle, right underneath looming Atlas. He never took off his helmet. Not in front of others. It was time to go back to a bit of the old ways... the ones that he helped establish. Key word: helped. As he was parched for thirst, but didn't want to reveal his true face to anyone, he sat at a bar, thinking.

He had lived a long-ass life. A _long_ life, far longer than anyone of his particular species or ethnicity. If anything: he and his _vod_ , Adam, would be considered 'ancestor' material in the old religion of his particular ancestral nation. He sighed, thinking of it. Its steppes and deserts, its glorious and bloody history (but the war crimes were a real pain in anyone's ass), and the people. All gone now. He sighed at this, the old memories coming back. The blackened skies over his homeworld, the monsters that came from the black mists, their eyes as black as midnight, their skin a pale complexion like that of a vampire, their teeth fangs, and their numbers seemingly endless. So many lost to the mist, so many lost to the hordes, so many lost to that strange darkness that showed up all of a sudden that strange day all those years ago. Another lifetime or several ago, in fact.

Then, he felt a change in the air. As if time stood still for something... or someone. He turned his helmeted head, the dim glare of the overheads making his visor shine. The stranger before him was actually quite familiar.

"Hello there," He said, leaning against the bar. Everyone around him, save the Employer and himself, stood frozen in time.

"It has been a bit since we last spoke," The gray-haired Employer said, smiling.. He reminded him strongly of Jacques Schnee. Asshole. If you're going to have workers, treat them with respect and pay them like you're supposed to. Wealthy bastard. Back in the old days, he'd have torn his goddamn palace to the ground, killed all his guards, and beat his bitch ass to within an inch of his life and tossed the fucker off the goddamn floating island-city in the sky.

"So it has," Byron Oros said, tilting his head as he leaned against the bar counter. "What do you want?" He asked, his tone reflecting his long years of service.

"I requested your friend, Adam Sym, that his assistance was needed in dealing with a particular situation. Namely: two Zabrak Nightbrothers, a strange alliance of criminal groups under their iron fist, and namely: 'your world' under their hostage." The employer said with a formal tone, with emphasis on 'your world'.

"I've had several worlds. I've campaigned a lot." Oros said.

"And that you have, with great success I might add." The employer said, nodding as he reminded his subordinate. "However, I am talking of the world you helped unite." The employer reminded him. At this, Oros tilted his head, the memories flooding back. "Mandalore?" He asked aloud. "What the hell happened there now?" He groggily asked. The answer didn't please him. In fact, it downright _infuriated_ him.

 _ **"House Vizla did WHAT?!"**_ His now enhanced voice much louder. So loud in fact that the glass would rumble and the building would shake if time had resumed and the Employer wasn't using his powers. The Employer repeated the answer.

 ** _"A GODDAMNED SITH?!"_** Oros's voice made the glass start to crack further. The employer explained and clarified.

 _ **"TWO DARK-SIDERS?! ONE OF THEM AN EX-SITH?!"**_ Oros asked for clarification. The employer nodded at this and repeated what he had said earlier.

 ** _"THEY'RE DOING WHAT TO WHOM ON MANDALORE?!"_** The answer made Oros even more infuriated.

 _ **"AND THAT DI'KUT VIZLA MADE A DEAL WITH THESE PETTY ZABRAK SONS OF BITCHES?!"**_ The glass of the windows now shattered. The Employer nodded at this calmly, hiding a smirk.

 _ **"GET ME OVER THERE RIGHT NOW ALONG WITH MY WHOLE DAMN HOUSE! I WANT TO SET THE RECORD FUCKING STRAIGHT ONCE AND FOR GODDAMN ALL! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS FORCE-DAMNED SHIT GOING ON! THIS ALL ENDS RIGHT FUCKING NOW!"**_

 ** _XXX_**

One moment: he had everything in his grasp. Obi-Wan was held captive in stolen Mandalorian armor. His hated enemy- forced to watch his lover about to die by his hand with the darksaber that was taken from the late Pre Vizla. Vizla's lover, and Satine's sister if he was sensing things right, was out there... opposing his rightful rule. That bitch had no idea whom was in charge now. Technically and politically speaking: as he had won in a one-on-one duel for the right to rule Mandalore and Deathwatch: he was the winner. Of course, he would find out the hard way about others coming to take his place... or rather... take their place _back_ after a long hiatus.

All of a sudden, before he could take the darksaber out as Obi-Wan watched in horror with Satine Kryze, the now-defeated and shamed former Duchess of Mandalore, hanging in the air and about to be thrust towards his would-be activated blade, he heard a whistle that distracted all of them. All heads turned to see a very strange sight. A human male in a gray suit with a gray tie and collared shirt, gray jacket, gray everything, save the skin and whites of his eye... stood to Maul's right and Obi-Wan's left. He was a bit tall. Perhaps nearly two meters? His hair was slicked back. He smiled as he held one hand behind his back and then proceeded to raise one hand as he was about to ask whom he was and how he got in here without the guards noticing. The figure snapped. One snap. And all Hell broke loose.

Immediately, the air erupted with explosions: masonry exploded all around them in a loud, thunderous 'roar' as glass shattered everywhere. Similar explosions were heard and he momentarily lost his hearing as everyone was forced to fall from the sheer volume and force of the explosions. That, and a wave of the dark side hit his senses in full force like an overwhelming tide of righteous anger and bloodlust. It would've made him more eager for battle... but this? He coughed as the dust came into his lungs along with everything else. He gripped his conquered darksaber hilt tightly and activated it while coughting. This was like an entire army's worth of- His gaze stopped on a pair of armored feet... massive armored feet that were twice the size of his brother's. His gaze then went upward to a pair of armored legs, followed by the traditional Mandalorian chest armor... only it looked like a much older design... followed by a-... there was no possible way that a Mandalorian could be that _big._ He craned his neck just to see the _chest._ The being's hands were at his sides, balled into fists. He oozed anger and fury along with no small amount of indignity. There was the Dark Side... and then there was _this_. He stood up, the being not going so much as to attack him. Obviously, this was some kind of challenger. There were no blasts yet as his Mandalorian guards arose with their captive. The entire room was now filled with similar armored and towering figures. Only, this one wore armor as black as midnight with a double-pronged-barrel blaster that he had never seen before. The thing's chest heaved in anger as if restraining every urge to choke him to death with his bare hands. Then it stopped heaving. He also noticed that it felt old... ancient even... far ancient than could be imagined. That and the armor looked old... very old. He hadn't seen that sort of armor outside of old holocrons and the occasional museum.

Maul blinked and looked at Obi-Wan whom looked around in awe at the sight. Maul turned his head to where that strange human had stood and found him missing. Strange... he could've sworn... Just then, someone... some _thing_... spoke.

 _ **"BEFORE I PUMMEL YOUR HORNED ASS INTO THE FUCKING FLOOR,"**_ The thing boomed in front of him. _**"I MUST ASK WHO THE FUCK YOU THINK YOU ARE?"**_ The thing asked, taking a step forward. He could feel the former Duchess do her best not to quake in fear. No one had worn this kind of armor in milennia, even centuries at least! And the size and the dark-side emanating from this being and perhaps the whole possible platoon's worth that made the guards question their loyalties.. whom were they?

He looked up at them.

"I am Maul, rightful ruler of Mandalore, formerly of the Sith." Maul defiantly said, standing up with his darksaber. He felt the being eye it though the helmet shifted slightly.

 _ **"'Rightful'?"**_ The being repeated and then started laughing aloud, the halls shaking followed by even more such laughter from his apparent bodyguard. The being in front of him turned to his cohorts and spoke in a strange and guttural language. He felt a sudden sense of fear from Kryze and the other Mandalorians. Something that made them want to run.

 _ **"Ta nar üüniig sonsov uu? Ene zaluu ööriigöö 'zöv zakhiragch' gej boddog."**_ The bodyguard laughed at the apparent jest. Maul grunted while gritting his teeth while activating his darksaber. Immediately, a massive hand blocked his strike and then the other hand. Maul tried to force-kick him only for the being to actually stomp on his foot before he could do so... breaking it with the metal crunching under the weight and force of the blow.. He cried aloud in pain as he fell forward. The being had been fast... the only way he could do that was by... He looked up at the being in front of him, now towering even more so.

"What..." He breathed through the pain, trying not to scream as Obi-Wan watched with both interest and fear. "-are you?" Maul asked as he sensed Savage try to reach him. A loud crack was heard and he heard Savage's yell as he somehow flew out of the building. "BROTHER!" He roared, seeing him fall to his death out of view.

XXX

Byron Oros glared at the little horned bastard that now cowered like a little wimp as his so-called 'brother' died. His body most definitely being crushed to death. Outside, throughout the city, throughout the entire cold remnant of the world that he had once united and ruled as its first ruler before leaving for parts 'unknown'... his Clan stood before conquered and would-be conquerers, oppressed and oppressors, rebels and tyrants, traitors and possible loyalists.

Byron stepped on the Zabrak's hands, ensuring to grind it beneath his feet. His screams were joy to his ears.

He kneeled down, his head above the dark sider's own.

 ** _"'What am I'?"_** He asked the question in mockery. He made sure that his face was so close the Zabrak's face could see it reflected back at him. _**"Thousands of years ago: I ruled this planet with every clan bowing before me: both Houses Vizla-"** _Oros turned to regard the so-called 'Duchess' ** _"AND KRYZE!"_** He roared in anger. He shook his head at the woman, pointing his finger at her.

 _ **"Woman, we'll have words after I deal with this fucking prick!"**_ Oros angrily barked. Kryze shook her head in shock at the language uttered against her.

 _"Don't you dare yell at her!"_ A man in red Mandalorian armor, probably stolen, snapped at him in shock at Oros's lack of chivalry. Oros grunted. He could sense the Force off of him. One of Adam's people. Goddamn it, they were going to have to set the record straight when that business with Adam's daughter in law was over.

 ** _"Ordinarily: I'd kick your balls, but I know one of you so-you're lucky."_** Oros simply said, shrugging. He turned back to the Zabrak to see him grab the- what the fuck was that? He grabbed the hand before it could strike him. His own rage overpowering the Zabrak's sense of betrayal.

 ** _"You think you have anger?"_** He asked, chuckling. ** _"Allow me to tell you who I am,"_** He said, flicking his wrist and extending his grip's strength. The Zabrak's wrist broke and became limp as the Nightbrother howled in pain.

 **"I am the 'Ruler of All Houses',"** He began, now grabbing his prisoners' neck. **_"I am the Warlord of the Southern Wastelands,"_ **He listed his titles. " _ **Unifier of All Clans, 'Khan of the Southern and Eastern Horde', 'Founder and Father of House and Clan Oros', whom were betrayed by their own people before an ill-concieved and ill-advised war against the Republic-protected by my brother's people!"** _He said, lifting the prisoner to above his head. At the mention of this, the Zabrak's eyes widened as he started to realize just whom and what he was.

 ** _"I am Byron Oros! Founder of House and Clan Oros, cruelly betrayed by their kinsmen over the false war with the Jedi... against my own commands! I: who unified Mandalore into one world to spread our people amongst the stars! Whom helped give Mandalore its laws and the virtues of justice, honor and aided in teaching the very concept of war! I: who was taught and friends with the original Mandalorians: the Taurang!"_** Oros yelled this last part on every comms channel so that the world would know: his clan and he had returned. A wave of fear and anxiety came over the world along with no small amount of awe.

 ** _"We have returned to claim what was ours... as it is long past time we made our point:"_** Oros said, his voice now off of the channel. ** _"Enemies of my family aren't allowed on my world," Oros said to the now fearful Zabrak. "And that Jedi?"_** he nudged his head towards the disguised Jedi Knight before hen whispered in a voice so low only the two of them could hear. **_"News flash, pal: the Jedi are_** my ** _family as well."_** He looked at the Zabrak in the eyes before he carried out an unsaid sentence. ** _"I am Mandalore the First: And I have spoken."_** He announced before tossing the Zabrak out of the throne room. The Zabrak screamed as he fell. He didn't look away as he fell splat onto the floor. Nodding with satisfaction, he gave one last order before turning around to sit down on a destroyed throne, his body now becoming smaller. As did that of his bodyguards and kinsmen. The Mandalorians of the present looked at the past in shock as he gestured for them to gently raise the Duchess and her apparent lover onto their feet.

 ** _"My apologies for the intrusion and the outburst,"_** he said, folding his hands while leaning forward. ** _"But, I've got a full schedule and I mean to pay some debts."_** He said, looking at the two of them. _ **"Now: what's this about House Vizla causing a war... again?"** _The First Mandalore asked in tired anger. Below, the remnants of Deathwatch were hunted down along with those loyal to Maul. Most died either with honor or without it. Others just fled.


End file.
